Jacob's Daughter
by Ravengirl1849
Summary: What if many years ago, after another ship wreck, a little girl washed up near the statue? What if Jacob found her and decided the raise her? This the story of Arabella, Jacob's daughter. Richard/OC
1. Arabella

**Author Note: This is my very first story, so please be nice. I would love to hear what anyone thinks about the story. I plan for it be muti-chaptered, working up to and though all the seasons of Lost. I really hope I do these characters justice because I love them so much. sorry for any bad grammar, that's my bad, but I'm trying to get it all.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

Middle of the ocean- 1849

A storm hit a little island in the middle of ocean, it carried with it a ship. A little trading ship far off it's course and getting pounded by the storm. Members of the crew were scrambling about on deck as the captain shouted orders, trying to regain some control.  
A little girl stumbled across the deck looking for her father. There was a leak in the storage space below the ship and her mother was helping to rescue what they could of the supplies. She was told to find her father.  
One of the crew members bustled past her, knocking her down. He did not even bother to say her was sorry! The little girl made a face at the back of his head.  
She stumbled up and used the railing to help steady herself. Through the haze of the rain the little girl could see something huge looming in the distance. It looked like a big sea monster raising out of the water to attack the ship. Leaning over the railing she realized it rested on an island but that did not make it any less scary.  
"Arabella!" The little girl looked up to hear her father calling her name. "Get away from there! Arabella-" Suddenly the ship was hit was a hard wave that made it lurch and sent little Arabella over the railing.  
"Arabella!" Her father's scream echoed in her mind as she hit the water and darkness enveloped her.

* * *

Jacob brought another ship to the island the night before. It was a nasty storm he had to whip up but he knew this ship was important. Someone on it would be important to the island. He could feel it!  
He would wait to see who could survive both the wreck and his brother first, then he would look amongst the survivors for the important one.

* * *

Jacob was fishing when he heard someone crying. Had one of the survivors washed up on his beach? Curiosity got the better of him and Jacob went in search for the search of the noise.  
It was a little girl, no older then five.  
She was sitting with her knees against her chest and her arms hugging them close.  
Her long hair- as red as an island sunset- covered her face as she cried into her knees.  
Jacob approached her slowly, he hated getting involved with the people he brought to the island but he could not just walk away from a crying child. Also looking at her, Jacob felt the spark, she was the one that was ment to be on the island. Jacob did not know why a little girl was so important but who was he to argue with the island?  
"Hello there," The little girl  
jumped at his voice. Her head snapped up and her eyes- as green as the jungle itself and filled with tears- widened and she scrambled backward.  
"No, I won't hurt you," Jacob held up his hands to show he was harmless, "Promise." The girl looked skeptical but she sat back down all the same.  
"Mind if I sit with you?" She shook her head and drew her knees back up against her chest again. Jacob took a spot in the sand next to her, they both sat in silence for a while, staring to the ocean.  
"My name's Jacob by the way," Jacob spoke after sometime. He looked down at the little girl next to him.  
"Arabella," It was a quite whisper and Jacob thought for a second he imagined hearing it.  
"Well, Arabella, that is a beautiful name." He smiled gently at Arabella and she returned it with a small smile of her own.  
"Thank you,"  
"Now, why were you crying?" He could already figure the answer but he asked all the same. Her smile broke and she looked at the sand.  
"Our ship crashed, my mommy and daddy are dead," Arabella sniffed, tears threatened to fall again. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Jacob. He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.  
Suddenly, Arabella was hugging him around to the waist and crying into his side.  
Jacob was surprised to say the least. He had no idea what to do with a crying child so he just let her cry.  
After a few minutes the tears subsided into quite sniffles and Arabella loosened her grip on Jacob.  
"Sorry," She sniffed again. Jacob smiled softly and brushed a stray tear away.  
"It's okay, I lost my mother, I know how much it hurt- though I was not as young as you are." Arabella nodded slightly and wiped the last of the tears away the back of her arm.  
"Arabella," she looked up at Jacob, "Are you hungry? I could catch some fish,"  
She hesitated for a second before nodding. Jacob stood, and after a second thought, picked Arabella up. She laid her head on his shoulder and was sleeping in a matter of minutes, leaving Jacob to wonder. What was he going to do with this child?


	2. Choices

**Author Note: Thank you Mara, my first review and it made me smile.**  
**Jacob is my favorite character and I really hope I'm doing him justice. Sorry for bad grammar, that's my fault but I'm trying to get it all.**  
**Disclaimer: I don't own Lost. Just the story idea and Arabella. Forgot that the first chapter.**

* * *

A week and Arabella was still with Jacob.  
He had two choices: he could keep the girl or turn her over to the people that lived on the island.  
Taking her to the island people was the better idea. They could care for her better then him- he had no clue what he was doing- and she would have people to interact with. Maybe children her own age.  
But watching the girl as she sorted though his thread, he felt his chest tighten at the thought of watching her go.

* * *

If Jacob's near heart attack when Arabella went missing the morning of the fifth day was anything to go by, he had become attached to the girl.  
"Arabella?" Jacob called. The images of a black smoke cloud and Arabella's little body, beaten and bloody, flashed though his mind.  
"Arabella!" He called louder. Seeing the room empty he stumbled outside. Jacob nearly wilted with relief.  
A small figure stood at the shore, water lapping at her legs.

Arabella stood glaring at the water. Jacob made catching fish look so easy!  
Arabella had woken up before Jacob and wanted to something special for him.  
She thought she could make breakfast for once.  
Jacob told her the first night she was with him to never go into the jungle without him so she could not gather any fruit like she had help Jacob with the other day. She would have to catch a fish. If Jacob could do it, so could she, right?  
Wrong. Catching a fish was hard! They was so big and fast and slippery!  
In one last effort, Arabella throw herself into the water after a fish.

* * *

She was under for less then ten seconds before Jacob was there pulling her out of the water. The fish got away.  
"Arabella!" Jacob called, shaking her gently. "Arabella, are you okay?"  
"The fish got away!" Arabella pouted, "I almost had it too!" Jacob looked at her bewildered.  
"You give me the worst scare of my very long life for a fish?" He was more relieved that Arabella was okay then mad that she scared him so badly.  
"It was going to be a surprise," Arabella wrapped her arms around Jacob's neck as he walked the back to the room beneath the statue.  
"A surprise? For what?"  
"For you, Silly. I thought I'd try to make breakfast." Jacob laughed at that. It was a light laugh, like tide lapping at the shore. It shook though his chest and made Arabella smile. She liked it when Jacob laughed.  
"Tell you what, you let me handle getting the food for now, okay? When your older I'll show you how to fish." Arabella perked up.  
"Really?" She sounded so excited, Jacob chuckled- it was different then his laugh but Arabella liked it all the same.  
"Really, I promise," Arabella squealed with joy and hugged Jacob's neck.  
"Thank you, Jacob!" Arabella leaned forward and kissed his cheek. It surprised Jacob but it made him smile.

"What are you doing?" Arabella asked one night. She was bored and watching Jacob as he worked on something, it looked like a half finished blanket.  
"Weaving," Jacob answered and picked out another strand of thread.  
"What's that?" Arabella walk around him to look at the white blanket with black funny looking people all over it.  
"I'm making a blanket," He explained, his eyes never leaving his work.  
"Why?" Jacob finally looked down at Arabella. He thought about it for a second before shrugging.  
"To pass time, I suppose."  
"Oh," Arabella watched his continued his work.  
"Can I help?" Jacob smiled a little at the memory of himself asking his mother the near same question.  
"Sure, sort though the thread, put all the ones that are the same color together."  
"Okay," Arabella chirped, excited to finally have something to do. Jacob watched her for a minute, all her focus on the colored threads in front of her, her face twisted with concentration. He smiled softly.  
Jacob knew after the fish incident that he made up his mind. He could not bare to see Arabella go, he wanted to keep her. But it was not really his choice to make.  
"Arabella?" Arabella looked up from her work and smiled at Jacob.  
"Arabella, on this island there is a small village, one with a lot of people- children your age,"  
"Really?" Arabella did not understand why Jacob was telling her this.  
"Yes, I want to you- would you want go live with them? They're good people and will take great care of you," Arabella stared a Jacob, why was he saying this? Did he not what her anymore? Did she do something wrong? Was it because of her trying to fish?  
Tears welled in Arabella's eyes, she rush forward and hugged his leg.  
"I'm so sorry, Jacob. I did not mean it, please don't send me away! I'll be good I promise!" It broke Jacob's heart- he kept making this child cry. He sunk to the ground and hugged Arabella tight, she buried her head in his neck and clenched tight to his shirt.  
"I'm sorry. You do have to go if you don't want to," Arabella pulled back.  
"Really?" She sniffed, the hope so clear in her eyes.  
"Yes, I just wanted to give you the choice,"  
"I choose you!" Arabella hugged him. "I choose you, Jacob,"  
"Alright then," Jacob hugged her back, hiding his smile in her hair.  
"You stay with me," Arabella smiled and hugged Jacob again. Jacob scoped her up in his arms, Arabella giggled and wrapped her arms around Jacob's neck.  
"Bed time, Cub!"  
"But I'm not tired!" Arabella protested but was betrayed by the yawn that escaped her lips.  
"Not tired, right," Jacob smiled as Arabella snuggled as close as she could get to his chest.  
"Goodnight, Jacob," Arabella whispered before, nuzzling her face into his neck. Jacob threw his arm around her and kissed her hair.  
"Goodnight, Ari,"  
For the first night in a week Arabella slept though out the night, nightmare free. She dreamt of warm sunlight and soft beach sand, of a voice and strong arm around her. She never felt so safe. Looking up, Jacob smiled down at her.


	3. Outside World

**Author's Note: Another chapter! Thanks to Mara your comments really help me to keep writing this! Sorry for bad grammar, that's my fult but I'm trying to get it all.**  
**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Arabella!**

* * *

One months. The best month of Jacob's so very long life.  
Arabella was becoming more and more use to living on the island. Living with Jacob.  
At first it was hard for Jacob to think of things to keep her attention. She spent most days just watching Jacob, watching him weave or fish. She helped sort threads and Jacob showed her how to weave just like his mother showed him.  
He just started a new blanket and Arabella was excited to help.  
But somedays she just got bored out of her mind.  
Arabella was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was making a face at something and Jacob couldn't help but laugh.  
Jacob laid down next to her and looked at the ceiling with her. She was staring at the stars he put on the ceiling a few weeks ago, just for her.  
"What are you looking at?" The little girl sighed.  
"I'm counting the stars,"  
"That bored, huh, Cub?" Arabella nodded. She rolled over in her stomach and so did Jacob. Jacob made a face at the little girl. Arabella giggled like it was funniest thing in the world before pulling a face of her own.  
"Can we do something, Jacob?"  
"Like what, Ari?"  
"Dunno, something though, I'm bored," Jacob gave the request some thought and smiled when he came up with an idea.  
"Do you want to see the outside world?"  
"Really?" Arabella was nearly bouncing. She liked being on the island with Jacob, but she need some change.  
Jacob smiled, he found out quickly that Arabella got excited very easily and was near impossible to calm her down afterword.  
"Sure, I don't leave often but I think we could both use a little trip." Arabella nodded eagerly.  
"Can we please? Please, Jacob?"  
Arabella was practical pulling him out of the room and Jacob found himself laughing.  
Arabella smiled. She made it her mission to make Jacob laugh as much as possible- so far she was doing a great job at it.  
Jacob picked up Arabella and she throw her arms around his neck. He carried her out to the shore.  
"Close your eyes and count to ten," Arabella did as she was told. She felt the air shift and she could no longer smell the ocean. She just reached ten when Jacob whispered "Open your eyes,"  
Again Arabella did as she was told and was surprised to see she was in a different place. Instead of the beach they were standing in an open air market.  
After a month of only being in contact with Jacob, seeing so many people in one place was a bit of a shock. All the noise and color, being on the island made her forget how loud the outside world was.  
Jacob set Arabella down and grabbed her hand.  
"Stay close, Ari, okay? I don't want to lose you in the crowd." Arabella nodded.  
"What are we doing here, Jacob?"  
"You'll see,"

* * *

Jacob knew that just watching him fish would not keep Arabella entertained for much longer so he took her to the outside world to look for something that would. Like the game that he and his brother use to play. So they spent the day walking though the market.  
It ended with Arabella getting a few new dress, a few toys and books to keep her entertained. When Jacob spotted the Senet game in one of the stalls he could not pass it up, it reminded him of the good time with his brother. Maybe one day he could teach Arabella to play.  
"So what did you think, Ari? Better then counting stars?" Arabella sat on her bed cuddling with the stuffed lion she got today. She smiled at Jacob and nodded.  
"Thank you for taking me, Jacob," She hugged the stuffed lion closer.  
"Of course, Cub," Jacob finished his weaving for day and took his seat next to Arabella.  
"So, what your new friend's name?" He petted the toy's head.  
"Gabriel, like the angel," She looked at Jacob to see if he approved.  
"That's a wonderful name. How about Gabriel joins us and I read one of the new books we got? How does that sounds?"  
"Great! Can I pick the book?"  
"Sure, go head," Arabella jumped up and ran took look at the books stacked by the fire pit. She set them all out in front of her and after studying the book cover carefully, she picked one at random. She brought it over to him with the hugest smile on her face. Jacob took the book and Arabella snuggled deep into her blanket and squeezed Gabriel against her chest.  
"Ready?" Jacob asked, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice. Arabella wiggled around a little more before nodding.  
"Alright then," Jacob cleared his throat loudly and over exaggeratedly. Arabella giggled but he pretended not to hear.  
"Once upon a time, there once was a brave knight..." Jacob began to read.


	4. Daddy

**Author Note: Sorry this chapter is so short, there just wasn't much to say I guess. I apology for any grammar mistakes, those are my fault but I trying to spot the all.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

Nearly a year together, Jacob was surprised at how quick times goes. Arabella would be six in a few months.  
After their first trip to the outside world Jacob made them slightly more frequent. Arabella seemed to enjoy a place people called a park.

* * *

Jacob watched Arabella play with some of the other children and smiled. It was so rare for her to get to play with children her age. She looked so happy on the swing chatting with another girl.

Jacob came up behind her swing and gave it a push. Arabella twisted around and smiled when she saw it was him.  
"Jacob! The park is so much fun! So much better then the beach- not that I don't like the beach. There just aren't any other kids there, not that playing with you isn't fun!" Arabella rambled and Jacob laughed. She'd been doing that a lot- it was getting harder and harder to get her to stop talking.  
Jacob just push Arabella harder, when she got high enough he move to stand in front of her.  
"Want to try something fun?" Arabella nodded.  
"When the swing reach it's highest- jump." Jacob instructs, Arabella looks fearful.  
"I'll catch you, Ari, I promise just try it," Jacob had seen a parent do this before with a child and they seemed to enjoy it.  
"Okay," Arabella agreed hesitantly, when the swing reached it highest Arabella let go the swing's chains and jumped. Jacob caught her and swung her around in the air. Arabella was giggling at by the end of it.  
"Did you like that?" He asked when she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"Can we do it again, Daddy?" Jacob wasn't sure who was more surprised, him or Arabella. He felt himself warm at the name, the idea that Arabella thought of him as her father.  
"Sure we can, Ari, as long as you like." Arabella smiled, nodded, and gave Jacob a quick kiss on the cheek before Jacob put her down. She ran over to the swing and started push herself.  
"Come push me... Daddy," Arabella liked being able to call someone that again and the name felt right with Jacob. When she tried to think of her father's face it was Jacob she saw. Surprisingly that did not bother her too much.  
"Coming," Jacob found himself liking the park.


	5. Visitor in Black

**Author Note: I decided to go with Esau as the man in black's name because everyone needs a name right? If you did not already know Esau is Jacob's brother in the bible. Also sorry for all the grammar mistakes, I suck at spellcheck but I'm trying to find them all.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lost.**

* * *

Jacob excepted it; he knew it would happen sooner or later. He had just hoped it would have been later, that he could have kept Arabella to himself for a little longer. But he was not so lucky.

* * *

He had been tending to the fishing nets when he heard Arabella.  
"Daddy!" It's been a month since she first called him that in that park. He'd gotten use to responding to it.  
"What's wrong, Cub?" Jacob looked up from the nets as Arabella came running down the beach.  
"There's a man! I saw a man come out of the jungle." Jacob froze, he dropped the nets and turned to Arabella.  
"Ari, what was this man wearing?"  
"What?" Arabella's brow creased in confusion.  
"This is really important, what was the man wearing?"  
"A black shirt, he was wear a black shirt, and-" Jacob visibly paled at the information.  
"Get inside, Ari," Jacob pulled the nets in and tossed them onto the sand.  
"Daddy? What's going on? Who was that man?"  
"This is not the time to question me, Cub. I'll explain later, you need to get inside and wait until I came to get you."  
"Now Jacob," Jacob's blood ran cold at the voice of his brother, instinctively Jacob stepped in front of Arabella. "I came all this way, and you going to send her away before I can even say hello?"  
"Esau, you leave her alone," Jacob all but growled at his brother.  
"I'm offended you would think so lowly of me, Jacob." Esau said in mock horror.  
"Daddy, who is this man?" Arabella asked from behind Jacob's leg. Esau's eyebrows hit his hairline at the name Arabella called Jacob.  
"Daddy? You joking me right? I knew you had a new pet but Jacob that taking it a bit far," Jacob ignored his brother's comments and picked Arabella up.  
"He's my brother, Cub, but you do not trust him okay? No matter what he says, got it?" Arabella looked from Jacob to Esau then leaned to whisper not so quietly in Jacob's ear "Is he a bad man?"  
"Very, you never go anywhere near him without me, got it?"  
Arabella nodded, eyeing Esau, who was trying not to laugh at the scene before him.  
"Promise me, Ari," Jacob needed to hear her say she would stay away from Esau.  
"I promise, Daddy,"  
"Okay," Jacob dropped a kiss on her forehead before setting Arabella down. "Go play with Gabriel inside. Let me talk to my brother, when I'm done we can read together, alright?" Arabella's face lit up at the idea of read, she was learning her words fast and really loved reading.  
"Okay," Arabella gave Jacob a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Love you, Daddy," It was very recently that Arabella started telling Jacob she loved him. Jacob loves hearing her say it, it warmed his heart.  
"Love you too, Cub, now go," Arabella took off across the beach toward the statue, only when Jacob was such she was inside did he turn his attention to Esau.  
"What are you doing here, Esau?"  
"I'm your brother, I can't come visit?" Esau tried to seem as innocent as possible- which for Esau was not possible.  
"We both know that she's why your here," Jacob's eyes flicked back to the statue where Arabella was safe."I'm just surprised it took you this long to come here," Esau settled against a rock, the statue in full view. Without even realizing it, Jacob sat in front of him- block Esau's view of the statue and Arabella by extension.  
"What's her name?" Esau's coppery eyes were alight with something Jacob did not like.  
"No, leave her alone. You don't get to know her name, I don't even want you thinking about her." Esau started laughing.  
"Someone's protective of their new toy,"  
"She isn't a toy, I'm not like you. I care about her very much, and if you so much as touch her, thing will get a lot worse for you." Esau rolled his eyes at the threat but Jacob could see the tension in his shoulders, he was scared.  
"What do you think you're doing with a kid, Jacob?" Esau asked the question Jacob had been asking himself for nearly a year.  
"She did not have anyone else, she wanted to stay with me so I let her stay,"  
"What are you going to do when you mess her up?" The question took Jacob off guard.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I've been watching you two for a while, those little trips to the outside world aren't going to be enough. To only have you as company, it's driven full grown adults mad. I wonder what it would do to a child? Does she even know you're the one that wrecked her ship here?" Jacob looked away, one day he would tell her the truth. Esau laughed; of course he found the whole thing hilarious and a new way to torment his brother.  
"Something's going to go wrong and you're going to screw that kid up. You have no clue what you're doing. It's really just a matter of time," With that Esau turned into a big cloud of black smoke and flew off toward the jungle.  
Jacob was left staring at the sand, Esau's words bouncing around in his head. He really did have no clue what he was doing. Things with Arabella could go horribly wrong and the idea of Jacob ruining that sweet little girl made his insides twist.

* * *

Jacob realized Arabella was waiting for him so he pushed all his doubts to the side and made his way back to her.  
The look on Arabella's face when he walked through the door made his heart melt. She smiled brightly up at him, excited that he was finally back. Arabella jumped up and grabbed his hand, dragging him back to her bed talking the whole time about some imagery adventure she and Gabriel had gone on. After her lengthy tale she held up a book and begged Jacob to read to her. When she snuggled close, her head in his lap and Gabriel close by, Jacob thought that they just might be okay.


	6. Nightmares and the truth

Author's note: Another chapter! The last one with a little Arabella. Next is a big time leap to when Richard shows up!

Sorry about any grammar mistake I suck at spellcheck but I'm trying to get them all!

Disclaimer: Don't own Lost. If I did Jacob would have lived!

* * *

The nightmares killed Jacob.  
The first week that Arabella was with him she ended up clinging to his side, fresh tears from the nightmare that woke her.  
For the first time in a long time, Jacob thought about the consequences of what he did. Bringing people to the island by wrecking boats- killing people then letting his brother kill more people and doing nothing to stop him.  
Arabella lost her parents because of him. She was stuck on this island and no one in the outside world knew what happened to her.  
He would stroke her hair and whispered comforting words, shushing her quite sobs. It was his fault she was having nightmares.  
But then they stopped. The night she picked him, they just stopped.  
It was progress, Jacob supposed. She was moving on, though Jacob knew it would take much more than a month to move on from losing both her parents.

* * *

Nearly a year and she seemed to move past their death. There was the rare night that Jacob would wake to Arabella crying but other then she seemed fine.  
Until she started having nightmares again.  
It was like the first week all over again, except worst. She did not sleep most nights and she refused to tell Jacob what was wrong. She stopped talk all together after a while. She would just cling to Gabriel like a lifeline and stared at the ocean.  
It sacred Jacob more then he would like to admit, he missed the happy, silly Arabella. The little girl that was practically bouncing at the idea of a new story, who was always smiling and having imaginary conversation with Gabriel. He missed his little girl.

It was one of the worst nights that Jacob had to shake Arabella wake.  
She was shaking and crying and when she saw Jacob she was near catatonic. She shot out of bed so fast she tripped over her blankets and flat on her face.  
"Arabella!" Jacob step forward to help her up but she scrambled away from him.  
Blood oozed from the new cut on her lip and she had scratch on her forehead. What broke his heart the most was the look of pure fear in her eyes. Never had she looked at him like that.  
"Arabella, please, talk to me! What'd you see in your dream?" Arabella clung to Gabriel so tightly that Jacob was mildly surprise the stitching on the toy had not popped yet.  
"Is it true?" Arabella asked her voice so small and fearfully that Jacob's heart shattered all over again. "Were you the reason our ship wrecked?" Jacob blink, surprised. He never imagined Arabella finding out so soon. He was afraid of how she would react. Would she hate him? What if she changed her mind and wanted to leave him?  
"Who told you that?"  
"My real father! You're the reason my parents are dead aren't you?" Arabella was near shouting, the tears stained her cheeks and Gabriel's fur. "Are you the Devil?"

Then Jacob realized was happening. The pure rage he felt boil underneath his skin was by far worst then what he felt when his mother was murdered, and it was directed at the same person. He almost left right then and there to go and hunt his brother down but he had a distraught and confused child to deal with first.  
Jacob took a deep breath to calm his rage and turn his attention to Arabella.  
"I am not the Devil. That man you dreamt about was not your father; he was my brother pretending to be your father. The bad man in the black shirt, remember?" Arabella shook her head and buried her face in Gabriel's fur.  
"Arabella, please listen to me. My brother is an evil man, he does not like that I have you. That you make me happy. He's trying to turn you against me."  
"So you did not crash our ship?" Arabella looked hopeful; she did not want Jacob to be a bad person. She did not want to believe that the man who had become her father was the reason for her parents' death.  
"No, I brought the ship here, but I did not know you parents would die. I truly am sorry for that, Ari." Jacob looked away, ashamed. The idea of Arabella hating him for what he did was too much for him to bare.  
Arabella stood up and padded toward him. She stood in front of him and hugged Gabriel. Jacob looked into that little girl's eyes.  
"I'm so sorry, Ari, I really am," Then Arabella hugged him.  
"It's okay, I forgive you," She whispered into his shoulder, "Please don't be sad,"  
Jacob laughed softly, he was suppose to be the one comforting her, not the other way around.  
"Thank you, Ari," They just sat together, Arabella clinging to his shirt and trying to fight off the lingering memories of the nightmare. Jacob focused on Arabella; he told her her favorite story from memory, making up the parts he forgot. It was not long before long before Arabella was asleep in his arms.  
Jacob marked Arabella with a protection symbol when he was sure she was asleep, pouring as much of his power as he could spare into it. Esau would not be able to touch her in the waking world or the dream world. He hated himself for not thinking to mark her earlier. It would have saved them both the heart ache.  
Jacob could think of a million things he wanted to do to his brother for what Esau did to Arabella. Most would end very painfully for Esau. But looking at Arabella, sleeping and completely peaceful, Jacob was just glad she was okay. Esau would get what was coming to him one day, for now Arabella was Jacob's only concern.


	7. Ricardo

**Author's Note: Super long chapter sorry! There's just so much I wanted to do with Ricardo and Arabella and it just got out of hand!**  
**Thanks to Mara and Minnie Mouse33 my only two followers and the reasons I keep writing this.**  
**I apologize for any grammar mistakes, I'm bad at spell check but I'm trying to get it all.**  
**Also if Ricardo seems a little OOC sorry he just took on a life if his own.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Arabella!**

* * *

Jacob had lived a very long life, so long that time could not seem slower to him but watching Arabella grow up made it feel like time was moving too fast.  
She was over twenty years old and she was thriving in the island.  
She grew to be a strong, smart girl under Jacob's guidance.

* * *

Jacob held to his promise and taught her to fish, they found out very quickly to leave that to Jacob.  
For Arabella's tenth birthday Jacob had gotten her a sliver dagger and showed her who to fight with it.  
Over the years Arabella gathered a large pile of books that she stacked against the far wall of their room.  
From those books she learned almost every language, a handful of different religions- including her father's favorite: Egyptian- and so much more. She could go just about anywhere and fit un perfectly. A very useful skill.  
Over the years Arabella fell into a rhythm with her father. They spent most days weaving, reading, or playing Senate. Every now and then they would venture into the outside world to find some new game or book to pass the time.  
Through all the years Arabella only had Jacob, she rarely saw people- other than on trips to the outside world and when Esau showed up every now and then but that was mostly just to taunt Jacob about the people he killed or beg to be allowed to leave the island.  
So Arabella reasonably got excited when she saw a man- that was not Esau- stumble out of the jungle and into their beach.

* * *

The rain was pound outside, the waves high and dangerous. In all her years of living on the beach Arabella had never seen a storm so bad. It was like the world was ending, when she voiced the thought her father laughed.  
"It's just a tsunami, Ari, nothing to worry about," He did not even look up from his weaving. Then the whole room began to shake and there was a loud threatening crack and it felt like the room was caving in.  
"Just a tsunami? Right!"  
"Arabella!" Jacob grabbed his daughter and they huddled together waiting for it to be over.  
It felt like hours before everything finally calmed down and the rain stopped.  
Jacob got up to look at the damage outside, Arabella close behind him. The beach looked like a war zone, it looked like tree had been up rooted and tossed around, palm branches and tree limbs lay scattered across the wave beaten sand. The tide was higher than Arabella had ever seen and much to her surprise, she saw a huge stone ankh. The one that the Taweret statue had been holding. Arabella dared to look up and saw nothing left of the statue but one of its four-toed feet.  
"Dad, it broke our statue!" Jacob stared up at the foot. "How does a wave even get that high!"  
"You been living on this island nearly all your life, haven't you learned not question things yet?" Arabella laughed.  
"You got a point," Arabella scanned the beach. No lasting damage except to their statue. Her home was still in one piece.  
"Come on, Cub, we can worry about the mess in the morning," Jacob touched her shoulder before returning back into their room. With one more glance Arabella followed.

* * *

Six days later they were still cleaning up.  
Arabella was farther down the beach then her father so she spotted the new-comer first. He was maybe ten years or so older then her, extremely dirty with long hair and a beard. She dropped the pile of branches she had collected and ran to tell her father.  
"Dad, there's a man here! And it's not Esau, it some other man, one I've never seen before! He just came stumbling out of the jungle! I thought island people could not find us, not unless you invited them-" Arabella rambled on to her father.  
"Ari, please go inside," Jacob tried to keep his voice calm. Jacob was not a fan of intruders, especially if they could put Arabella in harm's way. He knew he could not deal with the possible threat if he was worrying about her getting in the way. Arabella's excitement died out.  
"I'm twenty-two years old, Dad I can-"  
"Arabella! Just go!" Arabella was taken aback, her father never shouted at her before. Jacob instantly regretted losing his temper, he sigh and ran his hand though his hair. "Sorry for yelling but please!"  
"Okay," Arabella nodded and ducked inside the door. She turned around to look at her father. "You explain later,"  
"Promise, Cub, just go," Jacob watched Arabella slip inside before turning his gaze toward the figure stumbling up his beach.  
Jacob did not like intruders, but after was happened to his statue- he was not in a good mood. Staying out of sight he saw the man get closer. When the man withdrew the dagger Jacob's blood boiled.  
This was his home, who did this man think he was to come walking up his beach with a dagger. Threatening both him and his daughter. This would not stand!  
The man got closer to the door then Jacob would have liked so he stepped in. The man did not even see his fist as Jacob punched him. The man ended up on the ground and Jacob kicked him in the stomach, flipping the man on his back. He tried to stand but Jacob punched him again. The man grabbed the dagger and tried to come at Jacob again.  
"Daddy!" Arabella yelled from the door. Jacob's gaze flicked over to her worried face for barely a second before returned to the man.  
Jacob grabbed his arm, twisted it back and punches his shoulder hard enough to hear something crack. The man ended up in his back again. Jacob punched him in the face again and rolled him over.  
"What are you doing here?" Jacob demanded, "Who gave you this?" He held up the dagger.  
"Wh-where is my wife?" The man asked with a Spanish accent.  
"What?" Now Jacob was confused, this man was here looking for his wife?  
"Where is my wife?" The man repeated.  
"I don't know your wife. Did she come here one the ship?"  
"No, she's dead," This man was making no sense.  
"Then why are you asking me where she is?"  
"Dad," Arabella spoke up, both man looked at her.  
"Not now, Ari!" Jacob snapped.  
"He's obviously confused! Go easy on him,"  
"Who-?" The man was about to ask but Jacob stopped him.  
"You don't talk to her, you so much as look at her! Now if your wife is dead, why are you asking me where she is?" The man just panted and stared at Jacob. Realization seemed to flicker across Jacob's face.  
"Did you meet a man in the jungle dressed in black?"  
"Esau? Why would Esau send him here with a dagger?" Arabella asked from her father's side.  
"Ari, please!" Jacob hissed. He could only focus in on one person at a time. "A man in black, yes?"  
"Y-yes," The man nodded; his voice weak.  
"What did he tell you?"  
"That you are the Devil," Arabella would have laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement if she hadn't had said the same thing years ago. Jacob shut his eyes for a second but was otherwise unfazed by it.  
"And?" He prompted.  
"He said the only way I would see my wife again is if I killed you." Jacob looked away and tried not to roll his eyes. Of course! That explained everything.  
"I saw her here, in this place," The Spanish man went on, "Where is she?"  
"That wasn't your wife,"  
"Yes, it was!" The man screamed, "She's dead, just like me!"  
"You're not dead," Jacob said a little too calmly.  
"I am in Hell; I know I am in Hell!"  
"You really think your dead?"  
"Where else would I be?!" Jacob tossed the dagger into the sand and advanced toward the man.  
"Alright then," He grabbed the man by his shirt and yanked him up.  
"What are you doing?" The man demanded as Jacob dragged him toward the shore. "What are you doing?"  
"Daddy? What are you going to do?" Arabella had been quiet like her father asked but she was worried for the man's life now. Jacob ignored Arabella's questions like she never asked.  
"No, no, no," The man chanted as Jacob pulled him waist deep into the water and promptly dunked the man's head under.  
"Daddy!" Arabella screamed in horror.  
"Stay out of this, Ari!" Jacob called and pulled the man's head out of the water.  
"Still think you're dead?!" Jacob shouted in his face.  
"Stop!" The man pleaded and Jacob dunked him under again. After a few second Jacob pulled him up.  
"Stop!" The man shouted again and he went under again. Jacob pulled him up again.  
"Still think you're dead?" Jacob shouted again.  
"Sto-!" Was as far as the man got before he was under again.  
"Why should I stop?" Jacob asked when he pulled the man up yet again.  
"Because I want to live!" The man screamed and apparently that was the right answer because Jacob hulled him out of the water and threw him in the sand.  
"That's the first sensible thing you've said," Arabella was there at the man's side to help him, to make sure he was okay.  
"Dad! Why did you do that?! You could have killed him!" She demanded, shooting her father an angry glare.  
"He needed a reality check," Jacob shrugged, "So gave him one, I wasn't going to let him die,"  
"Dad," Arabella helped the man sit up and shot another look at her father.  
"He's still breathing isn't he,"  
"Doesn't make it okay,"  
"What's your name?" Jacob looked at the man.  
"Ricardo," The Spanish man sputtered.  
"Ricardo," Jacob nodded and began to walk away, "Get up, we need to talk,"  
"Sorry, about him," Arabella offered. She stood and offered Ricardo her hand. He took it and smiled a little. "He doesn't take well to intruders,"  
Arabella lead Ricardo away from the statue where her father was. She set him on a log and told him to stay. She ran back to the statue and grabbed a blanket off her bed.  
"He's confused, Dad, be nice to him please," Arabella begged. Jacob looked up from the shelf he was searching.  
"He came to my home and tried to kill me, he could have killed you!"  
"Dad! You saw him- he could barely handle that dagger, I would have been fine. And Esau lied to him, manipulated him. You can't blame him for that!"  
"Do you think he's a good man?"  
"I think he's confused and sad and willing to do anything to see the women he loved again. Don't condemn him just yet." Jacob nodded as if he approved of the answer.  
"Go, he's probably freezing," Jacob went back to search the shelves and Arabella ran back to Ricardo. She offered him the blanket; he smiled and nodded his thanks.  
"Again, sorry about my dad," Arabella blurted, she hated silence. It drove her mad. "He's protective, and he did not take kindly of you trying to kill him," Arabella gathered up wood and started a fire, just as she sat down in the sand next to Ricardo she spotted her father coming up the beach, a bottle of wine and two cups in hand.  
Jacob sat beside his daughter on the log and began pouring wine into a cup.  
"What's inside?" Ricardo asked, nodding toward the statue and their room.  
"No one goes in unless I invite them in," Jacob avoided the question and offered a cup to Ricardo. Ricardo looked at him as if he were insane then glanced at the cup. Jacob poured another cup for himself and was about to drink from it before Arabella snatched it out of his hand and took a long drink. Jacob made a face before taking the cup back, Arabella smirked. She could get away with almost anything with her father. Ricardo took a tentative sip from his cup.  
"Are you the Devil?" Ricardo asked after a beat of silence. Jacob did not answer right away; he took a long slip of wine and stared off down the beach. No doubt remembering when Arabella asked the same question herself.  
He finally looked at Ricardo.  
"No," Was all he said.  
"Would the Devil have such a kind and beautiful daughter?" Arabella joked, Jacob shot her a look and smiled a little.  
"You forgot modest as well, Cub,"  
Arabella nudged him with her shoulder.  
"So glad I have you to remind me, Daddy," She stole the cup again and took a sip. Ricardo was watching the little display with open curiosity.  
"If not the Devil, then who are you?" Ricardo braved to ask.  
"My name is Jacob,"  
"And I'm Arabella, but you can call me Ari," Arabella offered. Jacob rolled his eyes and nudged his daughter.  
"Stop trying to make friends, Cub, you can't keep him;" He swiped his cup back from her and took a sip.  
"Says you," Arabella smiled at Ricardo, "Don't listen to him, he'd keep me in a box all my life if he could."  
"Who are you people?" Ricardo asked bewildered and that made Arabella laugh.  
"I'm the one that brought your ship to this island," Jacob said and offered the cup to Arabella; she made a face but took it all the same. It just wasn't as much fun.  
"And I'm his daughter." She looked at Ricardo over the cup as she took another sip.  
"You brought my ship here?" Ricardo asked Jacob. Jacob simply nodded. "Why?" Now that was a question even Arabella wondered. She looked at her father and raised an eyebrow questioningly.  
Jacob did not answer the question right away; he took the cup back from Arabella and drank what was left.  
He set down the cup and picked up the bottle of wine.  
"Imagine that this wine is what you keep calling Hell. There are other names for it. Malevolence. Evil. Darkness. And it's all down here swirling at the bottom." He twirled the bottle making the wine swirl. "Unable to get out, because if it did it would spread. Now, the cork is this Island." He stuck the cork into the bottle. "And it's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs." He tipped the bottled upside down to demonstrate.  
Arabella could only guess that the darkness her father was talking about was his brother, Esau and he was trying to explain why Esau had to stay on the island... What that had to do with Ricardo's question Arabella had no idea. Her father could be a little strange sometimes.  
Ricardo looked lost and Arabella could sympathize.  
"The man that sent you to kill me," Jacob continued, "believes that everyone is corruptible because it is in their very nature to sin. I bring people here to prove him wrong. And when they get here, their past doesn't matter," Arabella was floored.  
"You do this because a philosophical debate with your brother? That's so childish!" Arabella challenged, her father looked shocked at her tone.  
"Arabella!" Jacob scolded in what Arabella called the 'Dad voice', which he used to use on her when she was kid and did something wrong.  
"Sorry, Dad but really, people have died to prove your point!"  
"Like I don't know that, Ari! It was not my choice, the island decides who lives and dies," Arabella stopped talking. Seventeen years she lived on the island and she knew it had some mystic powers, a mind of its own in a way. If the island needed you, or thought you deserved to be there, you were granted entrance. If not? You died. There was no arguing with the island.  
"Sorry, Daddy," Arabella whispered and looked away, she rarely challenged her father. He was almost always right.  
"It's okay, Ari," He poured a more wine and offered it to her.  
"Thanks," She whispered and took a sip.  
"Before you brought my ship," Ricardo spoke up, "There were others?"  
"Yes," Jacob looked away and took the cup that Arabella offered. "Many,"  
"What happened to them?"  
"They're all dead," Jacob took a sip of the wine and passed it back to Arabella. He was staring off across the beach. Arabella nudged him gently, he looked down at her and she made a face. He smiled a little and Arabella called it good.  
"Hey, not all are dead, I'm still here," Arabella took another sip of wine. Ricardo's eyebrows rose.  
"You were ship wrecked?" He asked.  
"Mmhm," She hummed and pointed down the beach. "Washed up there when I was five. Parents drown on the ship- least that's what i assume- I had nowhere to go so Jacob took me in. He's the only father I've ever know," Arabella leaned over and pressed a small kiss to his cheek. "Love you, Daddy," she whispered.  
"Love you too, Cub," He whispered back, then stole the cup of wine from her with a wicked small smile and Arabella laughed.  
"If you brought them here, why didn't you help them like you did Arabella?" Ricardo asked calling their attention back to him.  
"Ari is special, she had no one and she chose to stay with me. The others? I wanted them to help themselves. To know the difference between right and wrong without me telling them. It's all useless if I have to make them do anything. Why should I have to step in?"  
"If you don't, _he_ will," Ricardo pointed out and the look of absolute epiphany in her father's face made Arabella laugh harder than she ever had before.  
"Oh, I like you!" She beamed at Ricardo; he gave her a slightly shaky smile. "It's rare for him to be taught something," Her father made a face at her and it just made her laugh harder.  
"Do you want a job?" Jacob asked Ricardo.  
"What?" Ricardo was as confused as Arabella. "A job?" Jacob nodded, "Doing what?"  
"Well, if I don't want to step in, then maybe you can do it for me. You could be my representative and intermediary to the people I bring to this Island."  
"But what will I get in return?"  
"You tell me,"  
"I want my wife back," Ricardo answered instantly. Jacob flexed his jaw.  
"I can't do that," Ricardo's face fell.  
"Can you absolve me of my sins so I don't go to Hell?" Jacob shook his head.  
"Can't do that either,"  
"Then I never want to die," Ricardo stared down at his cup, "I want to live forever,"  
"Now that," Jacob smiled and leaned over Arabella's head, "I can do," He touched Ricardo's shoulder. Arabella held up her cup and tapped it against Ricardo's.  
"Congratulations, you're now immortal;" She downed the last of the wine and gave the cup back to her father.  
"Just like that?" Ricardo asked.  
"Just like that," Jacob nodded.  
"What do I do now?"  
"There is a little village just cross the ridge where some of survivors have carved out a life. Wait for me to contact you and tell you what to do next. Arabella will show you the way to the village." Jacob looked at his daughter to see if she was okay with it and she nodded. "But first I want you to go back to him."  
"Who?"

"The man in black,"  
"You want me to go back to him?" Ricardo all but squeaked, again Arabella could sympathize. Esau was a pretty scary guy, she was afraid of him- and he could not touch her.  
"I want you to give him something for me," Jacob pulled a white stone out of his pocket and handed it to Ricardo.  
"What is it?" Ricardo stared at the rock.  
"It's an inside joke," Jacob shrugged.  
"Okay," Ricardo agreed, then downed his whole cup of wine in one gulp. "Let's go before I lose my nerve," Arabella laughed.  
"I really like you; I think we're going to be great friends!" Arabella stood and brushed the sand from her dress. Jacob collected the wine and cups.  
"Be back by dark, okay, Cub?"  
"Promise, Daddy," Arabella leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let's go, Ricardo! We got a lot of ground to cover."

* * *

Arabella and Ricardo found some common ground with books. They spent most of the journey talking over all the books they read. Ricardo didn't believe that Arabella nearly covered one of the walls in her and Jacob's room with all the book she read. He was amazed by all the things she learned from books.  
Ricardo told her all about his once home in the Canary Islands, about his life growing up and what he did.  
Arabella told him about growing up on the island with Jacob.  
By the time they reached the little grove that Ricardo met Esau Ricardo was actually smiling and it made Arabella smile more. She loved making people smile.  
Ricardo's smile broke when realize what they were about to do.  
"Okay, so Esau can't touch you. Alright? Don't be afraid of him, he'll just use it to his advantage. Just give him the rock and then we'll go. Don't listening to a word he says and say as little as possible." Arabella offered Ricardo an encouraging smile. Ricardo took the rock out of his pocket and stared at it for a few seconds before he nodded to himself and began to move. As they got closer Ricardo's steps began to falter.  
"Just a little farther," Arabella stood next to him and stared down the path in front of them. Arabella did something brave and held out her hand, Ricardo looked at it curiously. "If it helps," Arabella mumbled, "I always held my dad's hand when Esau came to see us, he scares me," There was an awkward silence- long enough to make Arabella doubt herself.  
"Stupid, we just met and this is awkward. I'm sorry, just completely ignore-"  
"Arabella," Ricardo stopped her rambling and grabbed her hand. "Thank you,"  
"Sure," Arabella looked away, embarrassed. She smiled and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.  
"Let's go," Arabella decided she embarrassed herself enough and pulled Ricardo down the path. "I need to be home by dark."

* * *

Esau stood when he hears them enter.  
"You let him talk to you!" Esau accused when he saw Arabella.  
"Always nice to see you too, Esau," Arabella quipped, her grip tightened on Ricardo's hand to remind him she was there. Ricardo nodded slightly and stepped forward.  
"He wanted me to give you this," Ricardo dropped the stone in Esau's palm and stepped back. Esau chuckled, looking at the stone.  
"You do realize if you go with them, you'll never see your wife again." Esau's eyes flicked from Ricardo's face to Arabella's. Ricardo did not say anything, his fingers slowly wrapped around Arabella's. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze.  
"I understand," Esau continued. "He can be very... convincing. Isn't that right, Arabella?" Esau eyes shifted to her. "Jacob is the reason her parents are dead and he managed to convince her that it wasn't his fault." Arabella's grip tightened at the mention of her father's name.  
"Come on, Ricardo, we don't have to listen to this," Arabella pulled him away from Esau.  
"Ricardo!" Esau called; Arabella stopped and shot him a look. "I want you to know, if you ever change your mind, and I mean ever, my offer still stands," Ricardo did not say anything, he just stared. "I have something for you," Esau pulled something out of his pocket and placed it in Ricardo's hand, Esau closed Ricardo's finger's around it.  
"You must have dropped it," Ricardo just stared at his hand.  
"I found it on the ship," Ricardo opened his hand to revel a gold cross necklace.  
"Tell Jacob I said hi, Arabella!" Esau taunted, and then he was gone.  
Arabella looked at Ricardo; he was still staring at the cross.  
"It was her's wasn't it?" Ricardo looked up at Arabella. "Your wife's, right?" Ricardo simply nodded.  
"Need a minute?" He nodded again. "Alright," Arabella whispered, "I'll been waiting out there, take your time," She began to walk away when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned around to look at Ricardo.  
"Thank you," Arabella smiled and nodded simply.  
"Sure thing, Ricardo," Arabella left him to grieve. She only had to wait a few minutes before he came out to meet her.

Ricardo offered her his hand, she took it and he pulled her up. Up close she notices the tear stains on his cheeks, she did not say anything- he obviously loved his wife very much and losing her must have been hard for him. Arabella just gave him an encouraging smile and a nod of thanks before disappearing into the forest with him not that far behind.  
"Will you tell me about her?" Arabella asked after the silence lasted too long.  
"What?" Ricardo had been off in his own world, still trying to understand what his life turned into.  
"Your wife, will you tell me about her? You don't have to, it's just that silence drives me absolutely mad and that was the first thing I thought of. It was probably a bad idea, I'm sorry. Forget I asked, Ricardo-"  
"Arabella!" Ricardo cut her off, "It's okay. Isabella she was beautiful, like you. She was kind and smart and far too good for me." Ricardo was staring off into the distance, in a world all his own.  
"She sounds like a great women," Arabella felt something twist in her chest. She refused to admit she had a crush on a man she just met. Even if he was handsome and smart and funny. There was something about Ricardo; Arabella could not put her finger on it.  
It did not matter either way; he just lost his wife, a woman he loved very much. Like he would even look at Arabella like that, she would be lucky if he be so as her friend.

* * *

Most of the journey Ricardo spent talking about Isabella and Arabella spent it trying to convince herself she wasn't jealous of a dead women.  
Silence lapsed again so Arabella blurted out the first thing she thought of.  
"You know, you broke our statue." Arabella commented off-handedly.  
"What?"  
"Our statue, the one me and my father live under. I liked that statue, you know? Then you and you tsunami had to go and break it," Ricardo laughed, it was a deep loud noise that made Arabella smile. Making Esau laugh proved to be easier to do than with Ricardo, but Jacob always said she was stubborn and she finally succeeded!  
"I hardly see how you can blame me for a tsunami!" Ricardo shot back, "I can hardly control the weather,"  
"Either way it was your ship, I don't think Taweret will be very happy with you."  
"Taweret?"  
"How can you read so much and not know the Egyptian hippo goddess of fertility?" Arabella surprised herself that she was able to say that with a straight face. Until Ricardo started laughing, then she was laughing herself. It was the only sound in the jungle and it was amazing. When Arabella was finally able to breathe again she flashed Ricardo the cheesiest smile she could muster and he started up again.

* * *

Arabella was actually sad to see the village close by.  
"You know, you're the first person I've ever talk to, other than my dad and Esau, in about seventeen years." Ricardo raised an eyebrow.  
"Am I?"  
"Mmhm, I mean me and Dad went to the outside world a lot when I was little but really my best friend was a stuffed lion named Gabriel for the greater part of my life. My point to this rambling is that I like you, I think we could be good friends- if that's okay with you." If asked Arabella would swear up and down she was not blushing, she would admit she really couldn't look at Ricardo until he touched her arm. She found his eyes and the Spanish man smiled at her, it made her heart warm and she couldn't help but smile too.  
"You are a wonderful women, Arabella, I would be honored to be your friend," A full blown smile cracked across Arabella's face and she had to force herself to not hug the man in front of her.  
"I'll stop by again soon then," Arabella told him, she point toward the village, "We're here, tell them that you were in a wreck, don't mention Jacob just yet. Wait until he tells you what to do next,"  
"Alright," Ricardo nodded, "See you soon?" Arabella nodded.  
"I'll drop by in a few day, see how you're settling and that. Well, see you then, I guess."  
"See you later, Ari," Ricardo called and Ari was so thankful he could see her face, she knew it was red, because she absolutely love the way he said her nickname. Lord, help her, she had it bad. After just one day!


	8. Waterfalls and immortality

**Author's Note: So I went back and cleaned up some of the earlier chapters and wrote a bit more for the first chapter if you want to got back and read it. I still have a few chapters to check for errors but I'll finish that and repost them tomorrow along with a new chapter- though it may not make it online until midnight. Cross you fingers I get the next two chapters written tomorrow. So if there are any grammar mistakes in this chapter sorry but you'll have to deal- I try but I am only human.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"Ricardo!" Arabella hissed and tossed a stick at the back of his head. He swung round, a smile stretching across his face when he spotted Arabella. Checking if the coast was clear he made a break for the tree line.  
"What are you doing, Ari?" Ricardo asked when he finally reached her and dropped into the spot next to her. Arabella shrugged.  
"I love my father to death but a girl can only take so many games of Senet in a row before she goes crazy!" Ricardo chuckled at the face she made.  
"What's Senet?"  
"A game my dad likes. Not important! I want to do something! Anything," Arabella thought for a second then gasped when she was hit with an idea, "Let's run! I haven't done it in so long!" Arabella stood and tugged Ricardo up with her.  
"What? Run where?"  
"You've never just ran for the sake of it? Just to feel the wind on your face and the burn in your lungs?" Ricardo shook his head and Arabella gasped in mock horror.  
"You have not lived yet, my friend! Come on, we have to change that!" She tugged him into the jungle and before he knew what was going on they were running. "Catch me if you can!"  
"Ari, wait!" Ricardo shouted after her, trying his hardest to keep up. Arabella looked over her shoulder and flashed him a wicked smile.  
"That would defeat the purpose of the game, Ricardo! Keep up!"  
"Where are we even going?"  
"Nowhere, anywhere, it doesn't matter! Just enjoy the feeling and try and get me!" She dashed off into the trees, leaving Ricardo behind to marvel at his best friend before taking after her.  
Arabella loves running through the jungle. Feeling the rush of the air against her face and the ground pounding under her feet. She felt so free.  
Arabella looked behind her and saw Ricardo had managed to keep up. She flashed him a huge smile before laughing like a maniac and picking up her pace. It felt so good to run.

* * *

Arabella was fast; she never thought Ricardo would catch her. She was doubly surprised when he just about tackled her. They rolled down a little hill and ended up in a tangle of limbs with Ricardo lying across Arabella.  
"Ow!" Arabella complained lightly, Ricardo just smiled.  
"Caught you," He beamed with pride and Arabella smiled too.  
"That you did," They just stared at each other for a while, Arabella getting lost in his warm chocolate eyes. In the three years since Ricardo first wrecked in the island Arabella's crush grew, much to her distain. She spent most days with him if not with her father and that did not help at all. They had gotten to know each other well and Arabella just fell harder and harder the more she learned about her friend. She was hopeless.  
Arabella wasn't stupid, her father made Ricardo immortal. Any relationship they had would be strained when she began to age and he did not. It was not fair for either of them to start something.  
But the way he was looking at her now, like she was the most interesting thing in the world.  
He was only a few inches away from her. All she had to do was lift her head a little and they would be kissing. She almost gave into the temptation when she finally registered the loud crashing of water. She broke eye contact and looked to her left.  
"Wow," Arabella breathed. In front of them was a huge waterfall crashing down into a large lake. "It's beautiful!"  
"Yes, Ari, it is," Ricardo found out quickly that the island was home to many beautiful things, he would be lying if he said Arabella was not one of them.  
His brain finally seemed to catch up with him and he realized the position he was in with Arabella. With a red face and rushed apologies he stood up and offered her his hand. She smiled at him and took his hand. He could tell all was forgiven.  
"Twenty years on this island," Arabella marveled. "Twenty years and I'm still exploring and finding new place." She sat at the edge of the water and ran her fingers over the surface. Ricardo joined her, watching the way her hand moved over the water was almost hypnotic.  
"I bet my dad could find his way across the island blindfolded!" She mused. Looking at her reflecting in the water she made a face and splashed it, causing the water to ripple and distort the image. She looked up at Ricardo, a glint in her that he learnt meant trouble. "Wanna go for a swim?"  
"What? Ari, what-?" She was already stripping off her dress, reveling her undergarment. Ricardo turned a bright red and looked away, completely embarrassed.  
"Ari, what in the world are you doing?!" He heard Arabella laugh.  
"Don't be such a prude, Ricardo! It's just us and it's not like I'm naked. Live a little! I'm going in; it'd be more fun if you joined me." Ricardo heard her move and then a splash. He looked at the lake and saw Arabella's red hair bob in the water.  
"Come on, Ricardo! The water is great," Ricardo was torn between standing his ground in how morally wrong it was and actually joining her.  
Joining her won out and Ricardo stripped off his shirt and dived into the water with her.

* * *

Arabella squealed when Ricardo dived in and splashed her with water. He surfaced a second later, to Arabella who was smiling smugly.  
"So nice of you to join me," She quipped and Ricardo splashed her with water.  
"Don't gloat, it not lady-like," Arabella splashed him back.  
"Since when have I been a lady?" That made Ricardo laugh.  
"You're right, you've never been a lady," Arabella splashed him again, pretending to be offended but the smile that cracked across her face gave her away.  
"You're mean, Ricardo! You could have at least disagreed!"  
"And you far too easy to tease, Arabella!" Arabella stuck her tongue out at him. "Very mature!" In a blink Ricardo lunged at Arabella and took them both underwater.  
"You are so going to pay for that!" Arabella hisses when she surfaced again moments later. Ricardo just smiled.  
"I'd like to see you try."  
Arabella made a lunge for him but he slipped passed her. Thus began the afternoon long water war.  
It ended with both sides swearing to a truce and the two crawling back onto the bank, where Arabella promptly flopped down on her back and stared up at the sky. Ricardo found himself a spot at her side. They watched the sunset turn the sky a pinkish-orange.  
"It's all so amazing, don't you think?" Arabella sighed.  
"What the sunset?" Ricardo asked glancing sideways at her.  
"The whole island!" Arabella throw her arms put in front of her and waved them around. "It's just so amazing! I could look at this view forever and never get tired of it."  
"Hope that's true, because I'll be seeing plenty of it," It wasn't the first time Ricardo made a joke about being immortal, and it set Arabella a little on edge. She did not like thinking about her father and Ricardo living forever and her dying.  
"Ricardo..." Arabella glanced at him and when he met her gaze she looked back up at the sky.  
"What's wrong, Ari?" Ricardo propped himself up on his elbow to look down at Arabella.  
"I was thinking..."  
"A dangerous pass time with you," Arabella hit him lightly; he rocked with the blow and pretend that it hurt. Arabella smiled a little.  
"I'm trying to be serious, Ricardo!"  
"Something that's rare for you, but please continue," Arabella rolled her eyes.  
"You are hopeless! I was thinking of asking my father to make me immortal too, like you." Ricardo's smile fell.  
"Are you serious?"  
"Of course, you think it's a bad idea?"  
"It's just a big decision to make, Ari, don't take it lightly."  
"I have been giving it a lot of thought, and the thought of leaving you and my father forever makes my insides twist. Besides who are you to talk, you made your mind up pretty quick those years back,"  
"I did not think your father could actually do it! It wasn't really all there that day either. Thought I was dead and going to kill the Devil, remember? Not to mention how disorientating getting dunked in to the ocean several times was!" Arabella snorted.

"Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Never!"  
"You go what you deserved. Really though, think about it, where would you and my dad be without me? My dad would probably go crazy with only Esau as company. You would probably end up dead without me watching your back," Ricardo scoffed.

"I would manage just fine,"

"My _father _kicked your butt without even trying,"

"That was three years ago,"

"Wanna bet he could still do it? My money's on him," Ricardo did not dignify that with answer.  
"If you're sure immortality is what you want, Ari, then go for it." Ricardo commented before turning his gaze back to the sky. Arabella nodded, she would ask her father tomorrow. She had a feeling he would not be as agreeable as Ricardo though.


	9. Wishes granted

**Author's Note: Short chapter sorry! So moving through this Ari is going to meet a few of the Survivors that got shot back in time. So I know that in the future she's going to end up on that helicopter off the island and the plane back three years later. I can't decide though if she should end up back in time with Jack and them or stay on the plane like Sun. The only major thing is if she goes back in time she wont see her father die, if she stay on the plane she will be in the room when Ben stabs Jacob. I ask for your thoughts, should she go back in time or stay on the plane?**

**Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I try but I'm not perfect. Also thanks to my follows and DharMara your comments are awesome.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost.**

* * *

Arabella took a deep breath. After telling Ricardo yesterday the idea of immortality was cemented in her head. It would solve all her internal distress about the future and what it held for her family if she wasn't there.  
She just had to work up the courage at ask her father.  
She had been putting it for all day; she was almost not going to say anything but she knew if she did not she would never hear the end of it from Ricardo.  
So she sat by the fire pit and just watched her father work like she did when she was younger. Of course that gave her away.  
"What's wrong, Cub?" Arabella looked up at her father. It was now or never.  
"I wanted to ask you something,"  
"Anything," Jacob wore a concerned face and took a seat next to Arabella. "You know you can ask me anything,"  
"I want to be immortal, like you and Ricardo." Arabella said it slowly and carefully, watching for her father's reaction.  
"Ari..." He seemed lost for words.  
"Just think about it! You and Ricardo, you two are going to live forever and I don't want to leave you,"  
"Is this about him?"  
"What? What are talking about?"  
"Is this about Ricardo?"  
"No, why would-"  
"I know you like him, Ari, I'm not blind."  
"Dad,"  
"If you want to do this for him-"  
"Dad! I am _so_ not talking about this with you. Ricardo- he's my best friend, it's just a bonus that we can stick together. This is about me and you."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I don't want to leave you, and I don't want to put you though me having to go. It's not fair."  
"Ari, I'd be-"  
"Don't you dare say you would be fine." Arabella cut him off, "We both know you'd be lying. I understand what comes with living forever. You can't get attached to people because sooner or later they die. But you took me in, you raised me, I'd call that getting attached. I don't want to have to put you through losing."  
"Ari, immortality is a heavy gift. You need to think about this, because if I do this you'll never die."  
"You didn't have Ricardo think about, he asked and you just gave it to him,"  
"Ricardo isn't my daughter!"  
"I've been thinking about this a lot, Dad; I know what I'm asking and I want it. I know the line between a gift and curse is thin when it comes to living forever. It's only bad if you don't have anyone to share your long life with. I have you and Ricardo. You're all about choice, this is my choice. Let me deal with its consequences." Jacob sighed, when Arabella put her mind to something there was no talking her out of it.  
"I just want to protect you, Ari,"  
"And I love you for that, Dad, but you have to let me grow up and make my own choices."  
"Alright, you win," Jacob touched his daughter's cheek and kissed her forehead.  
"Thank you, Daddy,"  
"Don't make me regret it,"  
"I won't, promise," Jacob sighed again and laid back to stare at the ceiling.  
"You know," He spoke after a beat of silence, "I like him,"  
"Who?"  
"Ricardo, he's a smart man with a good heart, I approve,"  
"Dad! Not talking about it!" Jacob's laughter echoes through the room.


	10. DaddyDaughter day

**Author's Note: Not much to say. Thanks to all my follows, you're reason I keep writing. Sorry for grammar mistakes.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"What are you still doing here?" Jacob sat down in the sand next his daughter. It was already midmorning and she was sitting on the beach staring out at the ocean. Arabella smiled and looked up at her father as he joined her.  
"Excuse me? I don't think I need to be anywhere, unless you know something I don't."  
"You're usually off running though the jungle with Ricardo by now," Jacob gave a knowing smile and Arabella made a face.  
"Still not talking about it! You're my dad, it's just weird." Jacob chuckled and Arabella shook her head at the thought, "Anyways, Ricardo will have to survive the day without me, 'cause I want to spend it with you. It's been so long since we had a whole day together."  
"It has been a while hasn't it?"  
"Mmhm, I'm all yours for the day, so what do you want to do?"  
"I have an idea," Jacob stood and pulled his daughter up with him.  
"Do I get to know what this idea is?"  
"Not until we get there," Arabella made a face.  
"You know I hate surprises,"  
"And that is exactly why it is one,"

* * *

They made the trek through the jungle, Arabella filling the silence with absent-minded chatter. It was about noon before they made to where Jacob was taking them.  
They were standing on a large cliff that over looked the ocean. In front of them was a huge stone structure that reached high toward the sky.  
"What is it?" Arabella asked in compete awe, the only thing she had seen so tall was their statue before the tsunami. Jacob chuckled at Arabella's expression.  
"They call it a lighthouse,"  
"What's it do?"  
"They're supposed to help guide ships away from rocky areas where they could wreck,"  
"Supposed?" Arabella looked at her farther with raised eyebrows. "This one does something different?"  
"Come up, I'll show you,"

* * *

They climbed up the impossibly huge staircase to the top. In the center of the room was a huge wooden dial. Attached to it was four connected mirror each angled to reflect light to ships that might be passing. Arabella inspected the dial while her father went to the corner and began pulling on a chain that moved the mirrors to an angle on the dial. Running her fingers over the outer ring of the dial Arabella was surprised to see that the needle of the dial pointed to a name, one for each degree.  
"What are these names for?" Arabella looked up at her father; he was watching the needle move from one name to next.  
"There," Jacob released the chain, "Look into the mirrors,"  
Arabella looked up at the mirrors and was surprised to not see the ocean or herself and her father but a house. It was a little hut barely holding itself together.  
"How is that possible?" Arabella gasped. Her father chuckled.  
"We are living on the same island, right?"  
"Dad, what's this for?"  
"These name, they're names of candidates. When the needle is pointed at their name the mirrors reflect where that person is. It's so I can keep track of them."  
"Candidate? A candidate for what?"  
"My replacement," Jacob looked away; this was going to be hard to explain.  
"What are you talking about?" Arabella was more confused than ever.  
"Ari, remember all those years ago when Esau sent Ricardo to kill me?"  
"Of course, how could I forget?"  
"He will try again and sooner or later he will succeed. I need someone to replace me when he does. Someone to protect the island."  
"Protect the island? From what?"  
"Esau, there is a light at the center of the island, its very heart and Esau wants to extinguish it and destroy the island."  
"Why? Why would he want to do that?"  
"It's the only way he can leave the island,"  
"Why can't he just leave it now?"  
"Because if he were released onto the world- it would be pure chaos." Arabella was silent for a minute trying to wrap her head around all that her father told her.  
"How do you make a person a candidate?"  
"They come in groups. I have to touch them, it connects them together and when their ready brings them here."  
"I want to go with then, when you visit the candidates, I wanna meet the person who might take your place,"  
"I think I can do that,"  
"Great," Arabella chirped and let the subject die. She turned to look out over the ocean.  
"The view is amazing from here!" Jacob chuckled and joined her.  
"You should see it at sunset," Arabella's eyes lit up.  
"Can we? Can we stay, just for sunset?" Jacob smiled at her excitement and nodded.

* * *

They ended up staying much longer then sunset. They were still at the top of the lighthouse when the stars began to show. Jacob talked animatedly, pointing out stars and telling little facts about them. Arabella listened to him talk; he had an almost child-like excitement about him as he pointed out constellations. She did not have the heart to tell him she already knew most of what he was telling her.  
All and all it was a good day for both Jacob and Arabella.


	11. Jughead

**Authors Note: Another chapter! Get to see some of our Lost characters in this one! Sorry for an grammar mistakes, I try and catch them all but I'm really bad at it!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"I don't understand, he wants us to kill them?"  
"They're invading our island, Ricardo!" Arabella all but shouted, "They come walking off the beach like it's theirs to do with what they will! They brought a _bomb_ here! It could kill us all! My father said to try and deal with it peacefully but if they don't listen- we do want we have to. You of all people know how Jacob treats intruders."  
"Ari, I don't like this, I don't want to take lives."  
"It's theirs or ours,"  
"That doesn't make it anymore right,"  
"We have a right to defend what's ours! This is our home and they are threatening to destroy it!"  
"Alright, but we try talking first." Arabella rolled her eyes.  
"You always want to talk,"  
"It could save lives, Arabella,"  
"It could also cost them, Ricardo! You waste your breathe talking to people who won't listen and our people get shot for the effort," Richard scoffed.  
"_Our people?_ Since when are they _our people_? You come down here whenever you're bored. I live with these people, if anything they're mine!"  
"They're _Jacob's_ people!"  
"That's not the point!"  
"Then please, tell me what is the point?!"  
"I don't want pointless bloodshed,"  
"God, Ricardo! You are impossible! At this rate we'll be talking in circles all day!" Arabella huffed angrily and dropped into the seat next to Richard.  
"You know," Richard spoke after a long silence, "You're the only one who still calls me Ricardo. I've been going by Richard for years," Arabella smiled slightly, their argument already forgotten.  
"I don't know why, Richard is boring, I like Ricardo better. It's more fun to say."

"I left that life behind when I came to the island, Ari,"

"That why you lost your accent too? You can't just delete that part of your life,"

"It was your father who said when you stepped on this island your past doesn't matter,"

"Mmm, got me there." There was a comfortable silence before Arabella spoke again. "Hey, at least Ricardo was actually your name at one time. It's better the Ricardus."  
"Where did he even get that from?!" Arabella shook her head, laughing.  
"I have no clue, my father can be very strange,"  
"Tell me about it,"

* * *

Richard tried things his way, Arabella was right, people got hurt. So they tried Arabella's way, they killed eighteen US soldiers and stole their hydrogen bomb. They did not make a totally clean get away though, the casing on the bomb was cracked and it stared leaking something. A man was badly burned by it.  
Richard and Arabella were in his tent disguising their next move when they heard Ellie shouting.  
"Richard, we're back!" The pair looked at each other, Arabella gave a half smile.  
"Let's see what they brought us, hmm?"  
Richard led the way out of the tent and into the sunlight. Standing in front of their tent was three intruders surround by guards. The intruders did not look like the usual soldiers, they weren't dressed in uniform.  
"Caught these three by the creek," Ellie explains, she gestures with her gun to the man in the middle. "He's their leader,"  
"What's your name?" Richard asks.  
"What _your _name?" The man replies. Richard sighs; they're going to be like _that_.  
"My name is Richard Alpert. I assume you have come back for your bomb," The woman and the Chinese man looked complete confused but their leader revealed nothing.  
"Take them to a spare tent," Richard command, "I'll be there in a minute," Ellie nodded and did as she was told.

* * *

Richard, Arabella, Ellie and few others entered the tent. The intruders' leader was crouched in the ground; he was talking to his other two teammates but stopped suddenly when the others entered.  
"Sorry, am I interrupting?" Richard quipped. The intruders' leader stood to face Richard.  
"Ellie tells me you're not willing to reveal where the rest of your squad is."  
"And why would I do that?" The man cocks his head in a questioning way. "So you can kill them too?"  
"We didn't start, this friend, your people attacked us. You come to our island to run your tests; you fire on us and what? You expect us not to defense ourselves?"  
"I don't know anything about that; we are scientists," Richard glace at the other two intruders, the look on their faces said they had no clue what was going on.  
"So what, they sent you here to recover it?"  
"If you mean our hydrogen bomb then, yes," Arabella was watching the other two closely, again they seemed to have no clue what their leader was talking about. Either they were severally uninformed or they were all lying about who they really were.  
"I'm guessing by this man's radiation burns that the housing has been compromised, is that right?" They both glanced at one of the guards, whose hands were rapped heavily in bandages.  
"You need to listen to me," The leader continued, "You have an unstable device that is capable of destroying this whole island and it's broken. If you don't allow me to render it inert all of us are going to die, all of us." For some reason, Arabella trusted him. Not so much the other two, but he seemed to know what he was doing.  
"How do I know you weren't sent here on some suicide mission?"  
"Ricardo," Arabella spoke.  
"Not the time, Ari," He did not look away from the intruders' leader.  
"Right, you're too busy having a staring contest with the intruders' leader,"  
"Arabella!" Richard shot her a heated look and Arabella matched it.  
"You and my dad, just the same. Always telling me to be quite and shoving me in a little plastic bubble when something interesting happens,"  
"This is not the time or place for this,"  
"Well if you had just let me say what I wanted to say, I wouldn't have brought it up,"  
"Then say it!"  
"I trust him!" Everyone in the tent looked at her confused, even the intruders' leader.  
"What?" Richard barked, he was in a foul mood Arabella realized. "You couldn't possibly-"  
"Look at them Ricardo, do they really look military to you? Where are their uniforms? Honestly, I don't think they are who they say they are, but I don't care. I don't know about you but both I and my father want that bomb gone and that man seemed to know what he's talking about," Richard and Arabella stared at each other, daring the other to look away first. Richard sighed and turned his attention back to the intruders' leader.  
"How do I know that if I take you out to that bomb, you won't us detonate it?" They stared at each other for a few second before the other man looked down at his shoes.  
"Because I am in love with the women sitting next to me," The leader answered, everyone looked at the redhead next to him. "And I would never- I would never do anything to hurt her," Richard glanced at his own redheaded friend, knowing exactly how the man felt.  
"I see you know what I'm talking about," Richard's eyes snapped back to the intruders' leader. "I just want to help, to make it so both of them are safe," Richard glanced at Arabella again; she did not seem to hear what the man had said.  
"Alright," Richard said, "Take care of your bomb, but you try anything else and you will hurt her," He promptly turned around and left the tent, Arabella not far behind.

* * *

"Why did you do that?" Richard demand when they were out of earshot of the tent.  
"What? Speak my mind? But, Ricardo, I thought that's what you loved about me?" Arabella batted her eyelashes innocently. Richard scoffed.  
"This is not the time to joke, Arabella! You challenged me in front of those soldiers-"  
"They're not soldiers, they're not scientists either. At least the Chinese man and the redhead aren't,"  
"And how do you know that?"  
"While you were staring down their leader I was watching them. When you told them about the bomb, they looked shocked, complete confused. They had the same look as their leader spoke of disarming it. They aren't who they say they are."  
"And you still trust them?"  
"Not them, their leader? Yes. He knows what he's talking about and I can see he has a good heart."  
"A good heart? Really?"  
"Hey, my father said the same thing about you!"  
"Of course he did,"  
"What is that supposed to mean?!"  
"It means-!" Someone cleared their throat and both Richard and Arabella's heads snapped in the direct of Ellie. She held the intruders' leader at gun point.  
"Hate to interrupt this little lover's spat-"  
"Shut up, Ellie!" Arabella snapped. Ellie just laughed and Arabella glared daggers at her.  
"Ladies," Richard stepped forward with a knife and cut the man's binds. "Now is not the time," Arabella rolled her eyes.  
"Fine, whatever,"  
"Whatever your superiors told you I want you to know the truth," Richard said to the other man as he unwound the binds on his hands. _Superiors!_ Richard still did not believe her! "About a month ago we found eighteen members of an army battalion right here in our jungle, here setting up this camp. We gave them the opportunity to leave the island peacefully. They weren't willing to do that so I was... forced to kill them, all of them."  
"Forced?" The other man asked, "Forced by whom?" Richard glanced at Arabella.  
"You answer to someone, don't you? You follow a chain of command, right? Yeah, well so do I." Before anything more could be said Widmore came running into camp screaming for Richard.  
"What the hell happened to you?" Richard asked the young man.  
"Cuttingham and I. A group of them surprised us. We were outnumbered but I escaped."  
"Outnumbered, eh?" Ellie taunted.  
"Shut up, Ellie," Widmore shot back. "Who's this?" He looked at the intruders' leader.  
"He's going to help us with our problem," Richard explained, "You better get going,"  
"Wait, he's one of them, you can't actually trust him."  
"You heard me Ellie," Richard snaps when the blonde hesitated. "Go," Richard turned his attention to Widmore.  
"How did you escape?" He asked.  
"I ran," Widmore replied liked it was most obvious thing in the world.  
"And it never occurred to you that they could follow you?"  
"Follow me? Their leader is some sodding old man! What? You think he can track me? You think he knows this island better than I do?" They were nearly nose to nose and Arabella was afraid what would happen next if they weren't pulled apart so she stepped in.  
"Alright, girls your both pretty," Arabella quipped making both man look at her like she lost her mind. "There's no need for some mucho showdown in the middle of camp. This can be solved easily. Widmore," Arabella looked at the man in question, "You are an idiot, you know just as well as I do anything is possible on this island. Let's hope that they can't track you." Arabella ignored the man attempt to protest and turn to Richard. "Ricardo, a lot's been going on, I think you need a second at calm down,"  
"Arabella," Richard warned.  
"I'm saying this as a friend, come on," She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to his tent.  
"What do you think you're doing, Arabella?" Richard demand once they were inside. "You just basically put me in time out in front of the whole camp!"  
"Sorry, Ricardo, but it looked like Widmore was about to punch you. I had to step in."  
"I had things under control! Do you know how hard it is getting these people to listen to me on any regular day? Then you come walking in and undermine me every chance you get!"  
"I don't want to fight with you right now!"  
"Why? It seemed to be all we're doing lately! Why do you think that is, Ari?"  
"I'm scared, okay?" Arabella dropped into one of the chair and did not dare to look up.  
"What?" Richard tool the seat next to her, all his anger melted away when he saw his friend need him.  
"I'm scared, that's why I've been fighting so hard- to get rid of those soldiers and the bomb. I am afraid of what will happen to the island, me, my father, you. What if that man can't get rid of the bomb?"  
"Then we'll figure something else out," Richard took Arabella's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise,"  
"Thank you, Ricardo. I'm sorry for undermining you, as you put it,"

"I'm sorry for yelling at you when you were just speaking your mind and looking out for me,"

* * *

It was sometime later that they heard the man shouting.  
"Richard Alpert!" Both Richard and Arabella looked at each other.  
"Who could that be?" Richard asked, Arabella shrugged.  
"They're calling your name,"  
"Richard Alpert!" The man called again, "Richard, I need to talk to you!"  
Richard and Arabella exited the tent to see Widmore pointing a gun at an old bald man's back.  
"Whose idea was it to give these people guns?" Richard sighed, "They are all far too trigger-happy," Arabella laughed softly.  
"That's enough!" Richard called out. He walked up to the man.  
"Who are you?"  
The bald man sighed, "My name is John Locke,"  
"That suppose to mean something to me?" Locke looked at a loss for words.  
"Jacob sent me," He said finally, Richard stared at him for a minute before deciding he was possibly telling the truth.  
"Put the gun down," Richard said to Widmore.  
"What? Richard you can't seriously trust him!" Widmore shot back, still holding his gun up. Richard walked forward and took the gun for him.  
"I said put the gun down, Widmore,"  
"Your name is Widmore?" Locke spun around to look at the young man. "Charles Widmore?"  
"What's it to you?" Widmore demanded.  
"Nothing, nice to meet you,"  
"Excuse me," Arabella stepped forward, "you know my father?" She had never seen this man before, if he claimed to know her father it was before she was around and that was a very long time ago.  
"Ari?" The recognition in Locke's eyes confused her. "What are you doing here; I thought you were on that helicopter."  
"What helicopter? Do I know you?" Richard looked between the two.  
"Who are you? How do you know Arabella?" Richard demanded, stepping protectively in front of his friend.  
"Like I said, Jacob sent me,"  
"But I've never met you before, my father would have told me or Ricardo if he was sending someone," Arabella pointed out.  
"We really need to talk," Locke said.  
"Yes," Richard agreed, "We do,"

* * *

After a long and confusing conversion about time travel, a compass and Locke asking how to leave the island then just disappeared into thin air, Arabella extremely confused.  
"You saw that right?" Arabella whispered.  
"Yeah," Richard was staring at the place where Locke disappeared.  
"Any clue what just happened?"  
"Not a one,"

* * *

Arabella wasn't above saying I told you so when Ellie returned and told them of how the intruders' leader disappeared just like Locke. Richard just rolled his eyes.  
Later that night Arabella went home and told her father they dealt with the bomb. When she asked about a man named John Locke her father said he had no clue what she was talking about.


	12. Dharma Initiative

Author's note: Another chapter! So first off, HappyReader, I love you! You are so awesome! Thank you for finding all those typos for me, I'm so bad at spellchecking my own work. To answer your first question about Ari and Richard, a kiss is going to come soon but it's not going to be what you will expect I can tell you that. Also with Ari not being a candidate, I already thought of that but I love you for thinking of it too, you'll have to be very patient for the answer to that one. Richard and Ari's romantic relationship will be a little slow to start but when I get them there I think you'll love it.

Richard is one of my favorite characters too, him and Jacob and it is horrible the little amount of story there are for them. Your comments make me do happy, keep them coming.

Thanks too all my of followers too, you guys are great.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

"How could you bring them to the island?" Arabella demanded. It was one of the rare times she spoke out against her father.  
"I did not bring them here, they found their way here- just like those soldiers," Jacob replied calmly and it just made Arabella all the more angry.  
"Why don't you do something? It's just as much your home as it is mine!"  
"The island has a way of working these things out in its own time,"  
"Are you kidding me? They are ruining the island just like those soldiers were planning to do! Why do these people think they own the island? All of them, they come here to run their test and taint this place with their disrespect!"  
"Are you done?" Jacob did not even looked fazed by his daughter's shouting.  
"Yeah," Arabella huffed and stared at the fire.  
"Feel better?"  
"Yeah," Jacob chuckled and dropped a kiss on her forehead.  
"Good, it's great that you feel that way, that you care for the island- but don't let that anger consume you."  
"I know, Dad, I just wish they would leave us alone,"  
"Everything on this island happens for a reason, you know that. Have faith in the island," Arabella huffed again as a way of response. She knew her father was right, everything happened for a reason even if they don't know what the reason is yet.  
"The Dharma Initiative." Arabella spat with distain, they were invading her home and she wanted them gone.

* * *

"They want a truce?" Arabella was slightly surprised, these Dharma people didn't seem like the type to give up so easily. Then again with the body count on both sides it wasn't that easy.  
"It's the only way, Ari. We're losing people in this war, too many. We're doing what we can but it's a stalemate until we can find something to tip the scale." Richard sighed, Arabella knew if he wasn't forever frozen at his age he would have grey hairs. His job as an adviser was a hard one, he points these people in a certain direction and they trust him- most of the time it is with their lives. His decision weighted heavily on him.  
Arabella felt for him, she could not possible imagine the stress but she was there when he needed her. To remind him that not everything was his fault and make him smile when he needed it most.  
"Hey," Arabella grabbed his hands and knelt down in front of the chair Richard sat in- forcing him to look at her. "It's not your fault they died, it's those Dharma people's fault. They came onto on our island and tried to take over our home. It's just like those soldiers and their bomb- we're protecting our own. Sooner or later those people will get what's coming to them, the island will cleanse itself." Richard laughed bitterly.  
"You make them sound like a disease,"  
"They are, they don't belong here. They forced their way onto this island and one way or another the island will get rid of them. So if a truce is what we need to do, so be it. But we won't give up, we'll keep looking for a way to get them off the island. For now we wait." Richard nodded once.  
"For now we wait," Arabella smiled up at him.  
"Okay, now, come on. You need to relax and I feel like a swim. Two birds with one stone."  
"Arabella..." Richard sighed again, he loved spending time with his best friend- He looked forward too it most every day!- but it had been a long day.  
"Nope," Arabella shook her head and pulled Richard up, much to his protest. "You don't get to say no or sigh at me. You have no choice here. Also did you notice that you sigh a lot recently? We have to fix that," He did not get to say anything as Arabella all but dragged him to the waterfall and threw him into the water. Richard wondered why he was even surprised by her actions, it was classic Arabella. It was why he loved her.

* * *

"They broke the truce!"  
"You don't know that yet, Ari,"  
"Two people don't just disappear, especially not our people who know this island better then the back of their own hand. The amount of our people that go disappearing only to turn up a few days later with no memory- It just doesn't happen, Ricardo,"  
"Jumping to conclusions could start up a whole new war between our people and them. You know that won't go well," A sigh.  
"I hate feeling so helpless, I hate waiting. I hate them being on our island. It makes me seriously wonder why Esau hasn't killed them all yet, it's been years! He's never shied away from killing before."  
"Ari, you can't seriously want that. There's at least 200 of their people on this island,"  
"Of course not! They are still people, intruders or not. It makes you wonder though, doesn't?"  
Silence.  
"What if they really did break the truce? What do we do?"  
"I don't know, Ari, as much as I hate to say it. The only reason we are even pretending to listen to this truce is because we have no other option. They can't know that though,"  
"Mmm, I think we should show them a little of what we can do," A dangerous glint in her eye.  
"What do you have in mind?" Hesitation on his voice.  
"We need to see about what happened to our people, maybe we could sneak into that little village of theirs and scary up some answers," A wicked smile.

* * *

"Ari?" Arabella looked up at the tall blonde man who called her name. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you got on that helicopter."  
"Do I know you? What heli-?" Arabella was suddenly reminded of 1954 and a man named John Locke.  
"Oh, hell! Please don't tell me you're from the future, too,"  
"Sorry, Red, no such luck. Now what are you doing here?"  
"I'm from here, I have no clue who you are or that man Locke."  
"You've seen Locke?"  
"Back in 1954, come into camp rambling about getting off the island and time travel- it was confusing to say the least,"  
"What the hell us going on?" Richard cut through the conversation.  
"You remember John Locke, right? The old bald guy with the compass, showed up back in '54?"  
"Yes, he'd be hard to forget,"  
"This man is like him," Richard looked at the blonde man and then Arabella. Seeing she was telling the truth, Richard swore.  
"Great, this should be interesting," The man, he never gave a name, went on to explain that he's the one that killed their two men and thus the truce is unbroken.

* * *

Arabella was far too eager to get out of there- anything to do with the Dharma Initiative made her skin crawl but that man made it all the more worse.  
"I swear if we meet one more person from the future..." Arabella huffed as she and Richard trekked back to camp.  
"How do they all know you?"  
"I have no clue!" Arabella threw her hands up in defeat. "And why do they all think I got on some stupid helicopter?!" Arabella stopped suddenly. "What's a helicopter?" Richard just laughed and kept on walking.


	13. Heart of the Island

**Author Note: Two chapters today! Sorry this chapter is short but it is needed. Thanks to my awesome follows! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, those are my fault but I trying to spot them all.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"Ari," Arabella heard her name through the fog of sleep but pushed it away in favor of her warm bed.

"Hey, Cub, you need to get up," Jacob shook his daughter gently. She groaned and batted his hand away, which made him chuckle. Arabella never was one for mornings.

"Come on, Arabella, this is important. I need to show you something."

"Can't it wait 'till, I dunno, the afternoon," Arabella moaned, trying to snuggle deeper into her blanket before her father snatched it away from her.

"I thought you loved me!" Arabella cried and Jacob just laughed, heading for the door.

"Ten minutes, Cub, ten minutes or I come back with a bucket of nice cold ocean water."

"You wouldn't dare,"

"Try me,"

Needless to say Arabella was up and ready in ten minutes.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what is so important that you dragged me out of my nice warm bed for?" Arabella matched her father's pace stride for stride.

They were picking their way though the bamboo forest on the far side of the island. The sun already high in the sky.

"You said you wanted to help, with the candidates and all. I want to show you what I have been- and they will be- protecting. The heart of the island." Arabella stopped, slightly stunned. It had been so long since her father showed her the lighthouse, she had forgotten about the candidates.

"Oh," Was all Arabella could think to say as she ran to catch up with her father. She did not want to think about her father dying, it seemed impossible to her but he was so sure that Esau was going to kill him.

It scared her to think of what would happen to the island without Jacob, that's why she wanted to be involved in visiting the candidates. At least then she would have some clue who was going to be caring for her home after her father had gone.

They continued their journey until they hit a stream, following it, they came upon a cave. A bright golden light shone from it's depths.

"That's it? The light down there?" Arabella asked, edging as close as she dared. Jacob grabbed her shoulder to keep her from getting any closer.

"Yes, that is the heart of the island. You don't want to get to close."

"Why?"

"Esau did, now he's black smoke,"

"What?" Arabella looked up at her father, "That's how that happened?"

"Mmm," Jacob hummed, looking away, "I made a mistake, he died down there and as far as I can figure that light- whatever it is- released his consciousness from his body in the form of black smoke. He's forever tethered to the island. He can never leave like he always wanted."

"What could do that?"

"I don't know, my mother just called it the light. She said that a little bit of this same light is inside every man and if it goes out here it goes out everywhere, that's why we have to protect it."

Arabella stared into the light and her skin felt like it was buzzing. Her senses suddenly enhanced. She hear a boar all the way across the massive bamboo forest and see the high branch on a tree as clear as if it lowest.

"Is this feeling normal?" Arabella asked, holding her head and trying to center her thoughts.

"What feeling?" Her father looked at her concerned.

The buzzing began to increase until Arabella thought she was on fire. She began to hear everything, even Richard and his people across the island. She slammed her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to block it all out.

Arabella flinched when he felt her father touch her, she did not even realize she had fallen into the stream or that she was screaming. It was only seconds before Arabella blacked out all together.


	14. Connections

**Author's note: Shorter then I would like but it's a good chapter I think. Well here you go, another chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"Ari," A voice called through the depths of Arabella's mind. It was warm and familiar as it echo through her head, she reached for it through the fog.  
"Arabella, you need to wake up for me, please," The first thing she registered was the feeling of a hand on her cheek, the feeling of laying down and someone hovering above her. Arabella opened her eyes slowly and all she saw was one person.  
"Ricardo...?" Arabella reached a hand to touch him, to make sure he was real. Richard smiled a little shakily and grabbed her hand.  
"Yeah, it's me Ari. Just relax, okay? Your father will be back soon," Slowly the world began to expand beyond Richard and Arabella realized she was back home, in her bed in her room. The past events slowly came back to her.  
"What happened?"  
"I don't know, your father came to get me, babbling about a light and you passing out," Richard huffed. "You gave us both a good scare, there, Ari."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You have been out for a week, at one point you stopped breathing. It was horrible,"  
"Oh," Arabella's mind seemed incapable of forming any other thoughts.  
"I'm just glad you're okay now,"  
"'Course you are, your life would be so dull without me," Richard actually laughed, it was quiet and short but that still counted. Arabella had the feeling it had been a week since he so much as smiled.  
"Ari?" Arabella craned her neck to see her father walk in, firewood piled high in his arms.  
"Hi, Daddy," Arabella gave a weak wave and a hundred different emotions flashed across Jacob's face until he settled on just plain relief.  
He deposited the firewood in it's proper place and came to his daughter's side.  
"You scared me half to death," Her father whispered and Arabella's heart clench. She hated the idea of putting the two people she loved most in such worry.  
"What happened out there?"  
"I don't know, one second you're fine the next..."  
"I was looking into the light, and then the world shifted. Everything was too loud and too bright and my skin felt like it was in fire."  
"Sensory overload then, you mind could not handle it so it shut down."  
"But what caused it?"  
"You connected with the light for some reason. The very heart of the island."  
"I connected to the island?" Arabella was skeptical, it sounded ridiculous.  
"Close your eyes, focus on the island," Arabella did as she was told. Drawing a picture of the island up in her mind she could imagine each and every detail. She could find the valley where their people were camping, she could cross over into the Dharma barracks and see each person as they went about their day. She could feel them move and hear them speak.  
Arabella's eyes snapped open and she gasped.  
"What did you see?"  
"Everything,"

* * *

Arabella spent days testing her connection. She could track every living thing across the island. She could connect to them to degree- feel their heart beat, hear what they are saying or what sounds they make in an animal's case. If she concentrated hard enough, she felt like she slipped in to their skin. It was disorienting to say the least.  
Her father said he had never seen anything like it before. That it was gift and she would get used to it.  
Arabella sat on the bank of the lake, staring into the waterfall trying to follow the movement of her father on their beach half way across the island.  
She suddenly felt movement, coming right toward her. Arabella grabbed her dagger from the sheath on her hip.  
"I'd stop, unless you want a dagger in the chest," The person stopped, "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" It was her and Richard's safety question, one could not be too careful with the Dharma Initiative wondering around.  
"He who will save us all," Replied a familiar voice in perfect Latin. Arabella sheathed her dagger as Richard came out of the trees.  
"Couldn't you have picked a different question?"  
"Sure, I could have, but what's the fun in that?" Arabella returned to her spot on the bank.  
"You know," Richard began as he sat down next to her, "You think too hard and you just might blow something in that brain of yours," Arabella laughed and pushed him.  
"Shut up, you have no clue how confusing this is,"  
"It can't be much worse than going from a slave to being charged to kill the devil to becoming the middle man between basically a god and his people. Now that was a confusing day."  
"Mm, but you don't feel things like I do, I can connect to people, animals even, through the island. I feel what they feel, hear what they hear, and I have no control over it."  
"Why don't you practice?  
"What do you think I've been doing?"  
"Okay try it on me,"  
"What? Ricardo, I couldn't..."  
"Sure you could, give it a try," Arabella took a deep breath and tried to focus her connection on Richard, where he was, what he was seeing or hearing- anything. Nothing happened. Arabella huffed angrily.  
"See, I told you," Richard scooted closer and took her hands.  
"Just relax, Ari, focus on me and shut everything else out," Arabella focused only on the man in front of her. It was like when she first woke up those days ago except in reverse, the rest of the world faded out until it was just her and him.  
Then she felt it, felt him. She could hear his heart beat pick up, feel his blood racing through his veins. It was strange but at the same time it felt familiar for some reason.  
"I feel you," Richard whispered in awe.  
"What?"  
"It's like a little whisper in the back of my mind, I wouldn't have noticed it if I did not know what you were doing," Richard reached within his mind for the spark that he knew was Arabella and when he brushed it, it was like they had both been shocked. But it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.  
Arabella could feel Richard reach back through the connect she made and for some reason she let him in. It was like they were sharing one body. They were baring their souls to each other, everything that they were was exposed for the other person to search. Arabella couldn't get over how right it felt.  
Arabella did not know how it happened, who moved first, but she found herself kissing her best friend. It was almost surreal, how good it felt.  
The connection seemed to enhance and Arabella could feel every part of Richard and she knew it was the same for him.  
Arabella wanted to hold on to the moment forever- It was her first kiss!- but she accidentally brushed Richard's mind and saw he was thinking of his long dead wife, Isabella. And that just hurt.  
Arabella pulled back, she did not want to have to compete with a dead woman for Richard's heart. She was not going to be some replacement for her either. He could find someone else to use.  
"Ari?" Arabella could feel his confusion through the connection. It almost physically hurt to cut it, so he felt nothing from her and she felt nothing from him.  
"I-I have to go," Arabella stammered and was gone. She took off through the trees with tears in her eyes and her heart shattered.  
If her father noticed the tear stain on her face and her red rimmed, puffy eyes when Arabella returned home he gave her some respect and did not ask.


	15. Father's Always Right

**Author's note: Another short one, I don't know why they keep coming out so short but oh, well! So I would love to hear what people think of the story. It really helps me write this to know what you guys think ofit. Anyway on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Don't know Lost**

* * *

"Do you want talk about it?" Jacob asked his daughter, who was staring into the fire like it held the answer to the universe.  
"'Bout what?" Arabella did not even bother to look up.  
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, Arabella,"  
"No, I don't want to talk about it,"  
"You shouldn't bottle your feelings up like this, Cub, it's not good for you,"  
"I'm fine!"  
"It's been a week, a week that I've had to send him away everyday. He's your best friend, whatever happened could not be that bad,"  
"It's only been a week?" Arabella asked in a small voice, it felt like months to her.  
She would not admit it but she spent most day practicing with her connection by trying to follow Richard around the island. She could not get too close without him feeling her there, though. The desire to connect with him again was almost overpowering and Arabella struggled everyday to break even the weak connect she made with him.  
"Yes, just a week and I think it's been torture for both of you. You're all he has, Ari, he can't get attached to anyone else. He needs you, and you need him. Whatever happened I think it can be forgiven, for both your sakes." Arabella swore, her father was always right.  
"Fine, you're right, I'll talk to him tomorrow,"

* * *

Arabella was not a timid person, she did not shy away from anything- she held her head high and would meet things head on but walking into that camp you would not know that. She was terrified, if this ruined their friendship she would be totally lost. He was her constant, sure she had her father but it just wasn't the same. It was that same little itch that she felt when she first met him that told her she had to make things better, that she need Richard.  
Arabella had been wondering the camp for about ten minutes and still saw no sign of Richard.  
"He's not here," Arabella jumped at Ellie's sudden appearance.  
"What?"  
"Richard, he's not here, there was a little dispute with the Dharma people about the truce, he went to sort it out. Should be back soon, though,"  
"Oh," Arabella could not think of anything else to say.  
"You know he's been miserable all week, since you stopped showing up,"  
"H-has he?" Arabella hated that she stammered, Ellie just smirked.  
"Yeah, it's been trouble, one second completely depressed the next he's ready to bite your head off. We're all getting a little tired of the PMSing. Never knew you had that strong an affect on him,"  
"I have an affect on him?" Ellie gave her a look.  
"Come on, Arabella, I know we aren't the best of friends but I'm not blind, neither is everyone else. 'Cept you two it seems. Richard, he's like two different people. With us he's just that- Richard, our advisor, wise, kind, but detached. He can't get close to anyone because they'll just die on him. But with you, he's... Ricardo. Carefree and happy, he laughs, he smiles! I swear the only time I've seen him smile is when you are by his side whispering some joke in his ear."  
"Why are you telling me this, Ellie?"  
"So you can open your eyes and see! He cares about you, you care about him, just get it over with and admit it!"  
"He's my best friend, that's all," Ellie huffed angrily and threw her hands up in defeat.  
"You are hopeless! The both of you! Fine, I tried, just continue to dance around each other for eternity. Lord knows you have the time!" Ellie stomped off into the jungle.  
"Nice talking to you too, Ellie!" Arabella called after the blonde, feeling a little like her old self.  
"Ari?" Arabella suddenly froze, of course when she was just starting to feel better Richard would find her.  
"Hey, Ricardo," He was angry, it was written across his face and Arabella understood why.  
"Hey? It's been a week, and all you have to say is 'Hey'?"  
"Well, you usually greet a person before you jump right into conversion, or at least that what my father taught me,"  
"You can't seriously be making jokes right now,"  
"Sorry," Arabella shook her head, "It's like a default setting,"  
"We need to talk," Arabella sighed.  
"Yeah, we do,"

* * *

"Want to explain why you ran off?" Arabella dropped in a chair with a sigh, it was going to take a lot to fix this.  
"Because, this," Arabella gestured between the two of them, "It can't happen,"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Think about it for ten seconds, Ricardo. You are my only friend, the only person I can truly connect with because you are immortal just like I am- it's the same about me for you. We're going to be together forever, do you really wanna chance that friendship on a mistake?"  
"A... Mistake?"  
"What we did, connected like that, just messed with out heads, it wasn't real,"  
"Don't tell me how I feel, Arabella,"  
"I wasn't trying to Ricardo, I am telling you it can't happen. We can't chance it."  
"What if it worked out? You can't just condemn this before it even started."  
"Sure I can, because there's an equal chance it will all go up in flames,"  
"Ari,"  
"I'm sorry, Ricardo, I won't risk you, you're too important to me,"


	16. Candidates

**Author's Note: So this is the chapter with the candidates if you couldn't guess by the title. I know this probably isn't how it happened but it's how I imagine it. It seemed to me Jacob always knew how things were going to end for him, so I figure that's how he knew what to tell Hurley long before it happened. This is one if those chapters that will probably always bother me. Oh well! Also thank to MaltWarrior for what you said. You don't know how absolutely crazy with worry I get that I'm not doing these characters that I love justice. You review helped settle some of my worry. Anyways on with the story! Promise another chapter tomorrow if I can get over my writer's block!  
Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"You fix thing with him?" Arabella sighed.  
"Define fix. It'll take time,"  
"It'll work out-"  
"If you tell me to have faith I will slap you," Jacob chuckled.  
"That's my Ari, now come on we have to go,"  
"Where are we going now?" Arabella groaned.  
"To visit the next group of candidates," Arabella sat up and looked at her father.  
"Oh, be there in a second,"

* * *

They stood on the beach where they usual went to venture to the outside world.  
"We'll be skipping though time a bit so it might get a bit disorienting," Arabella nodded, closed her eyes and began to count. When she opened them they were in a big city. Arabella clumped her hands over her ears, it was so loud! She would never get used to it.  
"The first one I'll need to talk to alone, his name is Hugo Reyes. Wait, here I'll be back in a few minutes." Arabella nodded, trusting her father. He got into a cab and it took off.  
Arabella did not have to wait long the cab pulled up to the curb again and Arabella saw her father inside talking to a man with long curly hair. She saw her father lean over and touch the man's shoulders. When he opened the door Arabella smiled widely.  
"There you are, I've been waiting for half an hour, Daddy,"  
"Sorry, Cub," Jacob played along, "Got caught up,"  
"Well, let's go, we have people to see," The man said something about a guitar case and Jacob said it wasn't his before closing the door. Arabella made eye contact with the man in the cab, Hugo Reyes, and smiled sweetly at him.  
Her and her father turned to go, completely missing Hugo confused shout of "Ari?"  
"Who's next?" Arabella asked as they walked down the street.  
"A boy named James Ford, he just lost both his parents,"  
"Oh, that's terrible, how old is he?"  
"Nine,"  
"Poor kid,"

* * *

The world shifted again and they were in a new place. In front of them was a little white church with a lone boy sitting on the steps. He was in a black suit and writing something- that is until his pen ran out.  
"Need a pen, son?" Jacob asked. The little boy stared up at him.  
"Yeah, thanks," Jacob reached into his black suit jacket- When did they change clothes? Arabella wondered. -and pulled out a pen.  
"There you go," Their hands brushed as James took the pen from Jacob, "You can keep it," Jacob paused as James looked at the pen. "I'm very sorry about your mother and father, James,"  
"I lost both my parents too, when I was younger than you," Arabella spoke up, "It will stop hurting I promise, just remember the good times you had with them," She smiled encouragingly at the little boy before both her and her father walked away.  
"Next Sun and Jin Kwon, how's your Korean?"  
"Excellent,"  
"Good, you're going to need it,"

* * *

Now they were at a wedding. They sat in the far back and watches the ceremony, when it came time to say something to the new couple they got in line. When it was their turn Jacob spoke first.  
"I'd like to offer my blessing," He said in perfect Korean, "Your love is very special," He reached forward and touched both their arms, "Never take it for granted," Arabella smiled at the two.  
"Congratulations," She also spoke in Korean, "Good luck to both of you, may you make each other very happy," Jacob and Arabella bowed and Sun and Jin returned it.  
As they walked away Arabella couldn't hide her smile when she heard Sun ask Jin who they were and his responses was he did not know but they spoke great Korean.  
"Which one of them is it?" Arabella asked in English.  
"Both," her father answered, "They are better together then apart, if they do take the job it will be both of them,"

* * *

"Who are we looking for now?" Arabella asked as they stood in a little store pretending to look at candy.  
"Kate Austen, she's about to get caught stealing," Her father glanced around the store again and spotted the little brunette in the back, already slipping a lunchbox into her bag. "That's her," He gestured to the girl and Arabella nodded. They watched as the man at the register stopped her and asked to look in her bag. She admitted to stealing the lunchbox and the man threaten to call the police. That's when Jacob stepped in.  
"No need for that," He stepped forward and pulled a few bills from his pocket, "I'll pay for it, hope this is enough,"  
"Well as long as somebody pays for it, guess there's no harm done," The man muttered and took the money. He handed the lunchbox to Jacob, then looked at Kate. "But I don't want to see you in here ever again without your parents, you understand me?" Kate nodded and the man walked away. Jacob made a face, Arabella laughed and hit her father lightly on the arm.  
"Be nice, he's just doing his job, even if he was a jerk about it," Jacob rolled his eyes at his daughter and offered the lunchbox to Kate.  
"Thanks, Mister," She says and take the offered object.  
"Your welcome," Jacob crouches down in front of the girl, "You're not going to steal again are you?" Kate shook her head, Jacob touched her nose. "Be good, Katie,"  
"Come on, Daddy, we got people waiting. See ya kid," Arabella nodded at the little girl and walked with her father out of the store.  
"Next Jack Shepard,"

* * *

Arabella and Jacob sat in the waiting room and watched as Jack tried and failed to buy a candy bar out of one of the machines. Then an older man appeared and he went farther down the hall to talk to him. Jacob stood up and went to the machine. He put some money in and bought the same candy that Jack failed to get, causing the one that was stuck to fall out with his. He picked up them both up and checking the hall saw Jack was done talking with the older man.  
"One of these yours?" Jacob asked holding up the two candy bars. Jack laughed softly.  
"Machine got stuck," Jacob smiled.  
"Guess it just need a little push," Jack reached for one of the candies and their fingers brushed. Jack smiled, nodded, and walked away. Jacob opened the candy bar, broke it in half and offered a piece to Arabella. She took it gladly.  
"Thanks, so he's a doctor? That ought to make things interesting,"  
"Mmm, he'll be a great leader,"  
"My money's on him,"

* * *

They were standing on a street corner, waiting.  
"Sayid Jarrah, his wife is about to get hit by a car," Arabella sees a dark skinned man and women walking up the street, talking and smiling.  
"That him?" Arabella asked nodding the couples's direction.  
"Mmhm," Jacob hummed and pretended to look at the map in his hands.  
"It's our anniversary, we have to find the perfect place," Sayid said to the women.  
"I'll settle for finding my sunglasses," She replied. The light turned green, she began looking though her bag as they walked across the cross walk.  
"Excuse me! Sir?" Jacob called suddenly. Sayid stopped to look at the map that Jacob offered him. "I think we're lost, are you from Los Angeles?" Sayid looked at the map again then at Jacob and Arabella standing next to him. She smiled gently.  
"My father, couldn't find his way out of cardboard box,"  
"Ari?" Sayid stared at her, "What-?" They were interrupted by the women Sayid had been walking with stopping in the middle of the crosswalk and holding a pair of sunglasses up with triumph.  
"I found the-!" Then she was hit by a car, Sayid just stared for a minute and Jacob put his hand on Sayid's shoulder in a comforting gesture. Sayid ran toward the women on the ground.  
Arabella grabbed her father's arm and began to drag him down the street, she wanted as much distance as possible between her and that man.  
"You know him?" Her father asked and Arabella shook her head.  
"No, never seen him before today,"  
"He knew your name,"  
"You'd be surprised how much this happens to me,"

* * *

"You finished with the page?" Jacob asked. They both sat on a bench, sharing a book between them.  
"Yeah, turn it," Jacob turned the page and continued to read.  
"So who's this one?"  
"Our last, a man named John Locke, he's about to get thrown out an eight story window by his own father and be paralyzes from the waist down,"  
"That's horrible... Wait did you say John Locke?"  
"Yeah, why?" Jacob looked at his daughter curiously.  
"I've met him, back in '54, came into Richard's camp saying you sent him, asking about getting off the island,"  
"Huh, that's strange,"  
"No, that's my life," Suddenly there was a loud crash and a hard thud seconds later. Jacob calmly put the bookmark on their pages and stood. Arabella followed as they walked over to the body laying on the pavement. It was in fact the same man Arabella met all those years ago but younger, strange.  
Jacob knelt down and touched John's shoulder, John gasped and his eyes snapped open.  
"Don't worry, everything's going to be alright," John's eyes looked around, confused and unfocused. "I'm sorry this had to happen to you," Arabella took John's hand within her own.  
"You'll be fine, one day you'll walk again, I promise," She whispered before both her and her father stood up and walked away.

* * *

"What happens now?" Arabella asked when they were finally home. She sighed deeply and settled on the familiar sand, she like the island much better then the outside world.  
"We wait, when they are all ready they will meet and they will end up here," Arabella sighed, great more waiting.


	17. Echoes

**Author's Note: So I start school tomorrow! Sooo not looking forward to that. Updating's probably going to be less frequent. I want to say I'll put up at least one chapter a week, probably Saturdays but not promises. Anyway enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

Arabella walked down the beach, her mind worlds away. Things with Richard were still a little weird and it was driving her insane. That kiss was the best and worst thing to happen to her.  
Richard was her best friend. She wasn't use to feeling so distance from him especially he was just a few miles away sitting in his camp feeling just as confused and odd as she was- she could feel his emotions through a weak connection she couldn't keep herself from making.  
They both felt the loss of what they once were- because after this they could never be the same, not truly. Neither knew how to bridge the gap that stretched between them.  
Arabella sighed in frustration. The more she thought about it the more confused she got. She wanted things simple again. She want things back to normal. She wanted her friend back.  
Lost in her head she nearly walked into a boy who was walking in the opposed direction of her.  
He couldn't have been more the fourteen. He had long black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a black shirt and was bare foot. He was defiantly not a child brought over by the Dharma people. Though Arabella did not see very much of Richard's people but she knew there no children at the camp. It begged the question, where did this boy come from?  
"Hello there," Arabella greeted the boy with a smile but he kept walking, as if he did not hear here. Arabella watched him questioningly before chasing after him. She caught up with him when he knelt down and pulled something out of the sand. Arabella knelt in front of the boy and saw a Senet game in his hands, she guessed it was washed up on shore and got buried in the sand.  
"That's a game called Senet, my dad loves it. I could show you how to play if you want." The boy looked out at the ocean, a huge smile in his face before he stood up and run off with the game in hand. Irritated at be ignore Arabella went after the boy, maybe he would lead her to where he lived.  
The boy did not go far, he found a tree that had fallen and sat down on it. He set the game in front of him and started pulling the black rocks from the compartment and setting them on the board.  
"Hey, kid," Arabella reached out to touch the boy's shoulder, her hand passed right through him. Arabella's mouth fell open. What was going on? Suddenly a boy in a white shirt appeared.  
He was about the same age as the other boy and had sandy blonde hair. The boys shared the same blue eyes. Brothers?  
"What is it?" The boy in white asks.  
"It's a game," The boy in black responds, "You play it," The boy in white sit across from the boy in black, who begins setting up the white rock on the side opposite the black.  
"How do you know how?" The boy in black shrugs and shakes his head.  
"I just know," The boy in white picks up one of his white pieces and examines it.  
"Will you show me how to play?" The boy white looks up at the one in black.  
"If you promise not to tell Mother,"  
"Why can't we tell Mother?"  
"Because she'll take it away," The boy white continued to look at the white piece in his hand. "So, do you want to play or don't you, Jacob?" Arabella stared. Jacob? Sure, there could be thousands of boys in the world named Jacob, but on the island there was only one.  
"Yes, I want to play," Jacob said and set the white piece down on the board. The boy in black smiled and the game began.  
Looking closer Arabella realized the boy in white did look a bit like her father. With the blonde hair and blue eyes. The boy in white smiled and it was her father's smile, the same one he wore when he thought he made a smart move while they were playing Senet.  
"Daddy?" Arabella whispered. Of course neither of the boys seemed to notice she was there.  
If the boy in white was Jacob then the boy in black had to be...  
"Esau?!" Arabella would never have guessed the cute little boy in front of her was the thing that gave her nightmares as a child.  
Arabella backed away, this was getting too weird. As soon as she hit the jungle she broke out in a run. She had to talk to her father. Now.

* * *

Arabella froze when she spotted a familiar face in the jungle. Richard. Except it wasn't Richard it was Ricardo in all his unkept slave glory. Looking exactly like the day Arabella met him.  
"Ricardo?!" Arabella called and the man didn't even spare her a glance. He just kept stumbling though the jungle, nothing like the way Richard moved now- sure of where he was and where he was going, it came with knowing the island better then anyone.  
Arabella ran up to him, she touched his wrist and her hand passed right through him. Arabella stumbled backward and Ricardo kept moving like she wasn't even there. He was just like the boys.  
Arabella ran faster. She nearly fainted with relief when her feet hit the sand and Taweret's foot came into view. She saw her father sitting on the beach staring out at the ocean.  
"Dad!" Arabella shouted as she raced down the beach. Jacob did not seem to hear her because he didn't look back at her.  
Arabella dropped next to her father and heaved a sigh of relief.  
"Dad, I think I'm going insane! I was over on the other side of the island just walk down the beach and out nowhere appears this boy. This little boy! I try talking to him but completely ignores me so when he takes off I follow him and-" Arabella froze when she saw Esau come walking up behind her father.  
"Morning," He says with a flat voice. Esau looks different, his hair is longer then usual Arabella realized.  
"Mornin'" Her father replies never looking away from the ocean.  
"Mind if I join you?"  
"Please," Esau walks around and sits on a near by rock. "Want some fish?"  
"Thank you, I just ate," They don't look at each other, just the ocean in front of them.  
"I take it your here because of the ship," Jacob nods toward the ocean. Arabella looks out and sees nothing.  
"I am,"  
"What ship?" Arabella chimes in.  
"How did they find the island?" Esau asked as if Arabella hadn't spoken. Arabella huffed, it wasn't the first time he ignored her.  
"You'll have to ask them when they here," Jacob responds, glancing at his brother.  
"I don't have to ask," Esau looks down before he turns to look at his brother, "You brought them here. Still trying to prove me right, aren't you?"  
"You are wrong,"  
"Am I?"  
"Wrong about what?" Arabella asked confused.  
"They come," Esau looked back at something on the ocean, "They fight. They destroy. They corrupt." Esau looked back at his brother, "It always ends the same," Jacob shook his head.  
"It only ends once, anything before that is just progress," Arabella smiled, she liked how that sounded.  
Esau looks over at Jacob and Jacob stares back.  
"Do you have any idea how badly I want to kill you?" Esau asks outright. Arabella blinked, slightly shocked. She knew Esau wanted her father dead but the malice in his tone stunned her. This was his own brother he was talking to. Jacob seemed unfazed.  
"Yes," He said in the weirdly calm way that drives Arabella mad.  
"One of these days, sooner or later, I'm going to find a loophole, my friend," Esau promised.  
"Well when you do, I'll be right here," Esau looks at Jacob, his face emotionless. Esau sighs.  
"Always nice talking to you, Jacob,"  
"Nice talking to you, too," Esau get up and walks away. Arabella watches Esau form disappear into the jungle.  
"Ari? What are you doing back?" Arabella turns around to see her father is no longer sitting next to her but is standing at the door of their room under the statue.  
It took her a second to realize what she just saw was not really her father and Esau.  
"I'm going insane! I've officially lost it!" Arabella threw her hands up and fell backward into the sand.  
"Arabella, what are you talking about?"  
So Arabella told him everything that happened from the boys playing Senet to him and Esau's conversation.

* * *

"You're seeing echoes, Arabella," Jacob concluded when Arabella finished her strange tale.  
"Echoes? Echoes of what?"  
"The past, the island's past. I think it has to do with your connection to the island, it's showing you it's past."  
"So the things I saw, they happened?"  
"That conversation you saw, it was probably one of many I had with Esau before you came to the island. The boys playing Senet? It was the first time I played, Esau showed me how. We played almost everyday. Even after he left, I would come visit and we would play all afternoon." Jacob looked off at the ocean, lost in his memories of better times.  
"That was back when we were brothers,"  
"You're still brothers, Dad," Arabella touched his arm and she offered a gentle smile. "You've just forgotten how to be the normal sort of brothers,"  
"Mmm, maybe you're right," Jacob smiled at his daughter. Arabella laid her head on his shoulder and Jacob rested his cheek against the crown of her head.  
Neither said a word. They both just need each others company for a time. So they sat and watched the sunset over the ocean.


	18. Author's note

Okay as I have gotten a review from HappyReader expression a little confusion. I would like to clear that up.

So to start from the top. The beginning of the story happens way back in 1849. That's when Ari washes up on the beach. From there the story moves forward in time. It's when we see the time travelers that seem to be tripping my dear reader up.  
Air has not clue who any of them are because she hasn't met them yet. They know her because they are from the future. She doesn't know Hugo in the candidates chapter because she has never seen him before. Sawyer is the same, she saw him as a child and he never gave his name when they talked before. They are from the future and have already met her, she meeting them for the first time. I really hope I'm making sense here. Time travel is so confusing sometimes.

She really just tries to ignore the time travels because she can't do anything about them and it's just really confusing to her.  
She doesn't really know much. She knows what her father tells her about the light and candidates. She doesn't really tell him about the time travelers because she doesn't fully understand it herself.  
She knows about the candidates.  
She knows about the light.  
She knows a little of Jacob and Esau's past on the island- that they grow up together, then Esau left. That her father stayed in touch with his brother and Esau killed their mother.  
After the Dharma Initiative left the island she went to explore the abandoned stations. She founds some of their note and things so she does know a bit about them too. I do this because I'm trying to answer some of the questions the show has left unanswered or has answered just outside of the show and is just not well know. Like what the numbers (4 8 15 16 23 42) really mean and how Claire possibly lost her memory after the Others kidnapped her. Things like this will come up every now and then.

Both Locke and Sawyer mention Ari getting in a helicopter in the future. That is the helicopter that takes Desmond and Sayid to the freighter. Also Kate does hint to her and Richard's future relationship.

Her power, her connection with the island. She's learned to control, to choice when to connect with people. The connect she makes is usually pretty weak. The one she made with Richard after she got her powers was a fun connect, with him reaching back and connecting with her. That's why she glimpsed into his mind. I suppose Richard could block a stronger connection, but after the first time she made a full connection with him Ari won't do it again. Not after what happened. She's too afraid too. So keeps the connection weak, just enough to feel his emotions and track him.

Hope that clears a few this up. Feel like I made it worse!  
Also my lovely review asked for a time to help keep this straight. I will try my best to make one the expands though out the story but doesn't give too much away.

If anyone else is confused please tell me and I will try and clear things up.

If you have any question the show left unanswered then feel free to ask, I'll see if I can find a answer or at least a best guess.

Also thank you HappyReader for checking for all my typos. I writes these on my iPod and it auto corrects with the weirdest things and sometime I don't even notice. You are a huge help even though you know you don't have too.

MaltWarrior thank you for you kind words. I love having those little moment with Jacob and Ari like at the end of Echoes and Daddy/Daughter Day. I just love writing those kind of moments.


	19. Dropping the Literal Bomb

**Author's note: So I disappeared on you guys, sorry about that. School just started and it is already killing me. This year is going to be Hell. Anyway you all probably don't care but my best friend decided to bother and read my little story here, so yay! Thanks to all my reviews and followers, you guys are great, really. Feel free to review it really does help me to write if I know what you guys are thinking. So that's about it. Allons-y! (Watching way to much Doctor Who right now)  
Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

"You shouldn't have brought the boy to the temple," Arabella told Richard.  
They sat in his tent, he had just finished sharing what happened with Ben Linus.  
Things had been strange between the pair for a while but after months and a little effort on both parts they slipped back into their old pattern seamlessly.  
Arabella had not decided if that was a good thing or a bad thing just yet.  
"What, you wanted me to let him die?" Arabella sighed.  
"No, of course not but it might have been the better option in the long run," Arabella could see the pure horror on his face.  
"Arabella!"  
"Don't give me that face, Ricardo, think about it. A child needs their innocence, to grow up without it... The thing you get is unnatural. I can already feel the wrongness coming for that boy,"  
"I couldn't just let him die, Ari! It's not right,"  
"But was your clean conscience worth what you created?" Arabella held her hands up in surrender, "It was your choice, Ricardo, you made it and we can't change it. We'll just have to see how it plays out and hope it doesn't come back to bit us in the ass," Richard did not get to replay as gun shots suddenly broke though the silence of the camp. They could hear a man shouting about Eloise.  
Richard and Arabella spared a glance at each other before rushing out to see a man with long brown hair in a Dharma jumpsuit holding a gun. Was that Dharma Initiative trying to start another war?  
"Where is Eloise? Come on, where is she?" The man demanded. Richard stepped forward to try and get a handle on the situation. Arabella was right behind him.  
"I'm sorry but El-" Richard stopped as the man turned around. Arabella recognized him instantly for back in '54, the man that helped them with the bomb. He barely aged. "She not here right now," Richard approached the man, hand held up in surrender. Arabella could see the recognition flash across both their faces.  
"Do we know each other?" Richard asked, the man shook his head.  
"Doesn't matter," He muttered.  
"'54, remember? The man who help us get rid of the bomb?" Arabella supplied and Richard nodded slowly as the memory came back to him. "How are you here?" Arabella asked the man.  
"It doesn't matter!"  
"Ari, don't antagonize the man with the gun, please," Richard spoke calmly, his eyes never leaving the man before them.  
"I need you to take me to, Eloise," The man said.  
"I-I already told you," Richard drew the man's attention away from Arabella. "She's not here, so that's just take it easy,"  
"Where's the bomb, Richard?" The man advanced closer then Arabella would have liked.  
"Listen to me, lower your gun and we'll talk, okay? No body has to get hurt here, just put the gun down,"  
"Ricardo..." Arabella grabbed Richard's arm, she was scared for him.  
"Everything is fine, Ari," Richard did not look away from the man. Arabella's grip on Richard's arm tightened when the man suddenly shifted targets and point the gun at her.  
"Maybe I'll get answers if it's her life," The man reasoned.  
"Don't point that at her, leave her out of this!" Richard all but shouted.  
"I'm going to give you three seconds,"  
"Ricardo!" Arabella cried.  
"One..." The man began the count.  
"Don't do this," Richard pleaded.  
"Two," Suddenly there was a gun shot. Arabella jumped before realizing it wasn't the man's gun that went off. She glanced down and saw the blood blooming on his shirt. He hit the ground and Arabella saw Ellie standing behind him, gun still raised.  
"Why did you do that?" Richard demanded as he knelt by the man's side.  
"He had a gun on Arabella,"  
"He wasn't going to shoot her, Eloise!" The man on the ground panting, his eyes opened when Richard said Eloise's name.  
"Eloise?" He gasped for air, "You knew, you always knew. You knew this was going to happen and you sent me here anyway."  
"Who are you?" Eloise asked.  
"I'm your son," The man struggled to breathe. Richard and Arabella looked up at Eloise. She just stared down at the man, who took one last stuttering breath before he stopped moving.

* * *

Eloise had taken a journal from the man and was flipping through it she stop when she reached the inside cover. She looked at the man in shock.  
"Eloise!" The three looked up as Widmore walked into camp. "What happened?"  
"This man walked into camp and put a gun to Arabella's head. Eloise... Reacted," Richard explained.  
"Where did you find them?" Arabella followed his eyes and froze. There stood Jack Shepherd along with a women Arabella did not know. He was not suppose to be on the island. Not yet.  
"Crouched in the bushes. Like rats,"  
"Did you two come here with this man?" Eloise asked. Jack nodded.  
"Yes," He said.  
"Put them in my tent," The two guards took the prisoners and did as they were told.  
"Would you care to tell me, Eloise, why the Dharma Initiative seems to have decided to declare war on up?"  
"These people aren't from the Dharma Initiative, Charles," Widmore glanced at Richard, who was completely blank faced- trying not to show he was totally confused.  
"Then where the hell are they from?"

* * *

Eloise disappeared into her tent to talk with Jack and the women. It wasn't until Richard touched her hand that Arabella realized she was still holding on to him.  
"You okay?" He asked and she could see the concern in his eyes. Arabella nodded.  
"Yeah, I think I'll deal, just never had a gun pointed at me, that's all," Arabella sighed and looked at the man on the ground. It was sad that he had to die, Arabella thought he was a good man and she was rarely wrong about people.  
Eloise came out of her tent a few minutes later. She held a blanket in her arms.  
"Richard, you and Erik are coming with me," She commanded.  
"Going with you where?" Widmore asked.  
"You can untie them," She began to unfold the blanket. "And would you mind giving us a moment?" Richard gave a slight nodded and walked away. Eloise spread the blanket over the man's body and shut his eyes.  
"You believe him?" Arabella asked. Eloise looked up at the other girl and Arabella could see it in her eyes. "You couldn't have known," Eloise looked away.  
"I'm taking them to the bomb," She said to Widmore.  
"What? Are you insane?" Arabella stepped away seeing they were about to fight. It did not last long as Eloise walked away.  
"Alright, let's move out,"  
"Wait, Eloise, "Arabella called, making a sudden choice as she eyed Jack- she needed answers. The blonde turned to look at her. "Can I come with?" Arabella could see Richard's face over Eloise's should, he was not pleased. Eloise smiled slightly and nodded.

* * *

Arabella only wanted to go because she wanted to talk with Jack and Kate- Kate Austen, another candidate!- but she could not come up with a way to explain knowing them, given they probably wouldn't believe anything she said about candidates.  
"Hey," Jack spoke up when they were farther back, away from everyone else. Arabella looked up surprised he was talking to her. "Can I ask you something?" Arabella nodded.  
"What are you doing here, Ari? Did you get sent back too?"  
"Sent back? Back from where?"  
"The present. Or the future. Or whatever you call it." It took Arabella a second to understand what Jack was saying.  
"You're time-travelers. Like the other two. Of course you are. Great. Fantastic!"  
"Ari? What are you talking about?"  
"Let's get something straight, here and now. I don't know you, or her or the blonde man with the Dharma people or John Locke. I've never seen, let alone been on a helicopter and I am from this time."  
"You don't know who we are?"  
"No, never met you before today,"  
"How then? How are you from this time and yet look that same in thirty years?" It was Kate who asked that.  
"Same way I've looked the same for the past century or so, I don't age. I thought you guys said you knew me,"  
"We do, you just never mention you were over a hundred years old."  
"133 actually, just ten years younger then Ricardo," Arabella looked up at Richard, who was trudging ahead of the group, obviously unhappy with the whole thing.  
"Wait," Kate followed her eyes, "Ricardo is Richard?"  
"Yeah, it was his name original but he modernized. Changed his name, lost his accent. I'm the only one who still calls him Ricardo,"  
"Huh, I never would have thought,"  
"Is it that surprising?"  
"No, I just won't have pegged him as your type, let alone him the type to even fall in love,"  
"What?" Kate laughed at Arabella's confused face.  
"You'll see, Ari, just be patient,"

* * *

After they reached the pound Kate decided she wanted to leave. Her and Jack argued and she tried to walk away, Erik threatened her with the gun. He was shot by Sayid Jarrah, who had been hiding in the bushes. How many candidates were in her time?  
Eloise and Richard were arguing over Erik's body. Richard wanting to know why Eloise did not seem to care Erik was just shot. Jack, Kate and Sayid were all talking a little ways off. Arabella edged closer to them and heard what they were planing to do with the bomb. Also that Sayid was the one that shot Ben Linus.  
"The three of us disappeared off that plane and ended up here, ended up now, because this is our chance to change this," Arabella heard Jack say.  
"And if you're wrong everyone on the island dies, do you understand that?" Kate retorts.  
"I'm not wrong! This is it. This is why we're here."  
"No, it's not," Arabella stepped in. "You are wrong Jack, blowing up that bomb won't work." All three looked at her. She saw the recognition in Sayid's eyes and sighed.  
"I have a feeling you already know me. Let's just pretend this is the first time we met, okay? Hi, my name is Arabella but most people call me, Ari," She stuck her hand out to him. Sayid looked at Jack and Kate questioningly before taking Arabella's hand.  
"Sayid Jarrah,"  
"Lovely to meet you, Sayid,"  
"How do you know it won't work?" Jack all but demanded.  
"Because everything on this island happens for a reason, that includes you being brought here. So blowing up that bomb won't change it. You are meant to be here and since you're still here the island isn't done with you yet. Trust me when the island is done with you, you'll know,"  
"You sound like Locke,"  
"Then Locke was a very smart man,"  
"Locke was crazy!" Kate shouted, "You said so yourself, Jack,"  
"Maybe I was wrong,"  
"No, you were right. I'm going back to find the rest of our people because if I can't stop you maybe they can." Kate walked away into the jungle. No one tried to stop her.

* * *

Richard dove underwater first then Arabella. She swam beside his and smiled before racing to the opening.  
They both surface and gasped for air before pulling themselves out of the pool. Richard grabbed some torches and began lighting them, he handed one to Arabella, not saying a word. She could tell he was still upset about her coming along.  
"Don't be like that, Ricardo, you should know I couldn't resist the idea of an adventure," Arabella said as she took the torch. Jack surfaced from the pool before Richard could say anything.  
He pulled himself out and took the torch Richard offered him.  
"That was a lot farther then I thought it was. Where are we?"  
"The tunnels," Richard said simply.  
"You want tell me how we're going to get a bomb out of here?"  
"Same way we brought it in,"  
"I assume you don't mean the pool," Arabella gave him look.  
"Do you really think you could get that huge bomb though the pool?" She asked. Eloise came up from the pool with a gasp. Richard light another torch for her. Sayid was not far behind, Jack smiled and helped him out of the water.  
"Didn't think you'd come," He said.  
"Well, if this works you might just save us all," Sayid replied.  
"It won't work!" Arabella mumbled and they both looked at her. She shrugged, if they didn't believe her that was their problem.  
"If it doesn't," Sayid continued and looked pointedly at Arabella. "At least you'll put us out of our misery."  
"That's a lovely way to think about it," Arabella quipped.  
"Alright, let's get started," Eloise spoke up, ignoring Arabella.  
Richard lead the way to bomb, Arabella not far behind him.  
"You know pouting is unbecoming," Arabella said as she walked beside Richard.  
"Excuse me?" He demanded, offended. Arabella smile victoriously.  
"Knew that would get you to talk to me,"  
"One of these days your boredom is going to get us both killed,"  
"I shall wait for that day with baited breath but until then, I'm going enjoy life."  
"This isn't a game, Arabella! You're such a child sometimes,"  
"You've met my father, right?" Arabella quipped, trying to hide how much that statement hurt.  
"You're impossible!"  
"That's why you love me! You know that you can't stay mad at me forever, the longest you ever lasted was three hours." Richard opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it and just kept walking.

* * *

They finally reached the room where they put the bomb and Richard went around lightly the torches that lined the walls of the room.  
Eloise went and pulled the cover off the bomb and looked at Jack and Sayid.  
"Well, now what?" She asked.  
They pulled out Faraday's- as Jack called the man that Eloise shot- journal and began talking about taking the bomb apart.  
Of course Richard was concerned about Eloise being pregnant and radiation but no one was listening to him it seemed.  
Arabella felt bad but she was curious to see how this played out. To see if she was right, even through she knew the chances of her being wrong were extremely slim.  
Sayid began taking the core of the bomb out. All they could do was sit and watch. Richard went over and started talking to Jack about Locke. Arabella couldn't help but listen. She didn't know Richard went to visit him. She was surprised by how earnestly Jack told Richard to not give up on Locke, she could hear there was a story there.  
Sayid put the core into a bag and they began to move again. They came to a wall and stopped. Richard took a sledge to it and revealed a Dharma house on the other side.  
Eloise tried to take control and go in first.  
That is until Richard hit her in the back of the head with a gun.  
"What the hell are you doing?" Jack demanded.  
"I'm protecting our leader. Get back," Richard pointed the gun up at Jack. "Arabella, behind me,"  
"Ricardo, this really isn't-" Arabella started.  
"Don't test me, Ari!"  
"What are you going to do? Drag two unconscious women out of here?"  
"Arabella!"  
"Fine," Arabella huffed, moving stand behind Richard. She didn't want to go that badly anyway.  
"She's gonna be angry when she wakes up." Richard glanced down at Eloise, who laid unconscious in his lap. "That's a lot better then being dead. She ordered me to help you. We helped you. Now you're on your own. I'm taking them out the way we came in."  
"Ricardo-"  
"Don't, Arabella," Jack looks at the hole in the wall then Sayid.  
"After you," Sayid said and Jack climbed through the wall. Sayid followed close behind.

* * *

Richard was right, when Eloise woke she was extremely angry. Between her and Richard's silent fuming at Arabella the trek back to camp was long, quiet and very tense.  
Arabella couldn't for the life of her understand what got Richard so worked up. She'd done much stupider things then this. And yet he still refused to talk to her.  
It wasn't until they were back at camp that Arabella took him by the sleeve and dragged him off into his tent. She threw him into a chair and stared at him.  
"Alright, let's hear it. What has got you so wound?" Arabella demanded.  
"You and your blatant disregard for your own life because you're bored." Arabella scoffed.  
"Oh, stop it! Ricardo seriously, how dangerous was that? Going to help them find a bomb?"  
"A lot more if I hadn't stepped in, you would have walked right onto those barrack wouldn't you have?"  
"Yes, I would have,"  
"And you would have gotten yourself killed,"  
"I can handle myself just fine,"  
"Have you ever even fired a gun?"  
"No but-"  
"That dagger is useless unless it's close combat and good for one throw. You would have gotten yourself shot,"  
"I don't need you babying me, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."  
"Right," Arabella could hear the sarcasm dripping from his tone. Something in Arabella snapped.  
"You what? Fine! You don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm gone." Richard instantly realized the mistake in his words.  
"Ari, wait,"  
"No, I'm such a child that I can't take care of myself and I hate to burden you with having to do it so you don't have to anymore." Arabella stormed out of the tent and in the camp, Richard not far behind.  
"Ari! Please, wait! I'm sorry," He called after her, calling their argument to the attention of nearly the whole camp. Arabella didn't have it in her to care that they were shout at each other in front of everyone.  
"No, I'm done! Keep your apologies." Arabella was angry, more angry then she had ever been. Richard was her friend and the things he said hurt. She did not mean what she said but she got sick satisfaction at the hurt look on Richard's face. Give it day or two and she would be back to apologize and they would be friends again. After so many years together it was far from their first fight and not even close to their last.  
She planed to storm out of the camp and go home to sulk and avoid her father's questions. That is until she was hit with a crippling pain that was worse then anything see ever felt before and hit the ground. She was vaguely aware of Richard shouting her name but she couldn't force herself to care.  
Arabella curled into herself in some desperate attempt at fend off the pain but it was bone deep and wasn't ending anytime soon.  
She didn't feel Richard and Eloise by her side. She didn't hear them try and talk to her, ask her what was wrong. She just screamed in agony and prayed that she would black out from the pain. She was not so lucky.  
Little did any of them know, the Dharma Initiative had just breech a pocket of electromagnetic energy with they're drill. And when the bomb finally went off after Juliet's assault against, Arabella's scream could be heard all the way across the island.

* * *

It felt like years before the pain finally faded and Arabella could breathe, though her throat was sore from screaming.  
"Ari? Ari, are you okay?" She just barely registered it was Richard who was talking to her.  
"Yeah, 'm okay," She responded weakly.  
"What in the hell happened? One second you were storming off the next you were on the ground."  
"The island, they hurt the island and I felt it through the connection."  
"They? The Dharma Initiative?"  
"Yeah, they were doing something... Oh, did it hurt."  
"But it's over now and you're okay,"  
"Mmm, 'm sorry, I'd never leave you,"  
"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean what I said,"  
"I'm tired," Arabella barely got the words out before sleep over came her.


	20. The Purge

**Author's note: School sucks, really all I have to say.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

Arabella was with her father when she felt it.  
It wasn't like the other four times in the passed fifteen years that the Dharma Initiative taped into something they weren't supposed and hurt the island- and Arabella by extension.  
After what happened back in '77 there was another incident in '84 then '85 and the last in '87. Each as painful as the last.  
No, this wasn't pain, it was a sort of dizziness that settled over Arabella. She swayed and her father caught her before she hit the ground.  
"Hey, Cub, you okay?" Arabella nodded and tried to walk but she stumbled and almost fell.  
"That's not okay," Her father guided her to sit on the floor. "Is it them again?"  
"I...I don't know, it's strange," Arabella shut her eyes and reached across the island, it was coming from the Dharma barracks. She nearly throw up when she felt it. There was something in the air. A toxin. She couldn't feel any living person. They were all dead. That was that was the only explanation. Everyone in the barracks was dead.  
Arabella felt someone walk across the ground, she reached out to connect, to get some idea of what was going on. She recoiled when she felt the pure wrongness coming from the person and realized it was Ben. Of course he was apart of this.  
Ever since Richard saved him as a child he was their double agent in the enemy camp, much to Arabella's protest. Ever since he joined them Arabella began to withdraw from the people, not getting involved anymore. She could not be around him. The only reason she still even entered that camp was to see Richard.  
When Ben stole that French women's child Arabella pulled back even farther. It just wasn't right. What that women had been though and then taking her child?  
Arabella wanted to help her the second her team got infected but Richard wouldn't let her, he refused to risk her getting infected too. He promised they would deal with her- they sent Ben to kill her! She knew that it wasn't Richard's idea but Widmore's. The people had changed, Richard was mostly ignored nowadays.  
Now Ben had done something to the Dharma people, killed them all.  
Arabella felt more people enter the barracks. She froze even she felt the familiar presents of Richard.  
He was part of it. He knew they were going to kill all those people. He didn't tell her. He knew and didn't tell her.  
Arabella pulled back. She didn't want to see anymore.

* * *

It took three days before Richard showed up. He knew Arabella was upset, that she knew what he had to do.  
"Why?" Arabella asked in barely a whisper.  
"I had no choice,"  
"You always have a choice!"  
"No, I don't, it was the first chance that's cross our path in a long time. Everyone else jumped at it, I was against it. Not like they listen to me much anymore, unless it's a direct order from Jacob. I live with these people, if I tried to stop them..."  
"You could have at least told me,"  
"Why? So you would have to live with the knowledge that 200 people died because of you? Like I will for the rest of my impossibly long life. Besides I knew you would have hated the idea, you would have tried to stop them,"  
"I would have,"  
"And that would have just caused trouble that neither of us want. Our people, they wanted the Dharma Initiative gone. By any means."  
"Their not my people, haven't been for a while,"  
"Ari..."  
"It was his idea wasn't it?" Richard wouldn't look at her. "I told you there was something wrong with him."  
"There is nothing wrong with him,"  
"He came up with the idea to murder nearly 200 people! People that he's lived with more then half his life! How is there nothing wrong with that?"  
"What do you want me to say, Ari? You were right, like you always are?"  
"I don't want to be right, I just want to things to be simple again. No time-traveling weirdos, no trigger-happy natives, no life or death decision."  
"I can't even remember when it was that easy," Arabella sighed.  
"What are we going to do now?"  
"I still have a job to do, if they don't listen that's their choice. You? I don't know, you can come with me, if you want to and explore some of the Dharma stations that have been abandoned, don't even try to deny how curious you are. Or you could stay here with your father," Richard offered his hand, Arabella glanced between him and the entrance to the her room in statue. It was his way of asking if she forgave him. She smiled ever so slightly, grabbed his and they were off.


	21. Crashing

**Author's note: So one of my reviewers asked where I came up with the name Arabella, honestly, I have no clue. I was just thinking about the story and a name for the main character and I thought of Arabella all of a sudden. Googled it later and found out it was a real name, I had thought I made it up. It was pretty and I liked what it means, beautiful lion, so I thought why not use it?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

It was an ordinary day, like another. Richard was off doing some work for Ben in the outside world so Arabella got to spend sometime with her father. So they were sitting on the beach playing Senet. Her father had that look, like he was was about make a move that would win the game. Arabella gave up years ago trying to win against him.  
It was sudden, the pain. Not as bad the first time she felt it back in 1977 but bad enough. It was the island again.  
Her father rushed to her side, much to Arabella's protest.  
"I'm fine, it'll pass," She muttered and gritted her teeth against the pain.  
They both look skyward as a large plane flew over the island and broke into pieces. As the pain began to fade Arabella looked to her father.  
"It's them isn't it?" Jacob nodded, tracking the main section of the plane as it fell out of sight.  
"They are all here, finally,"  
"Mmm, but we'll need to see who survives."

* * *

Arabella really braved the barracks without Richard there but she needed to drop the news that some of the survivors on the plane were important to her father. She dreaded having to speak with Ben.  
Arabella came across Juliet first. Arabella wasn't very close to the blonde but they still spoke to each other often. Arabella felt bad for her, too. Ben has been all but holding her hostage for nearly three years.  
"Hey, Juliet, did you see that plane?" Arabella asked her sort-of-friend and Juliet smiled back.  
"Hard to miss," The blonde replied.  
"Yeah, so what's Ben doing about it?"  
"Sent Goodwin to see about the tail section, Ethan's with the fuselage. They observing, making lists,"  
"Of people they're going to kidnap, right," If there was one person in the island that hated Ben as much as Arabella it was Juliet.  
"That why you're here? The plane?"  
"Yeah, Dad's got some special people on that plane, since Richard isn't back yet it my job to deliver the names."  
"When is Richard getting back?"  
"Day after tomorrow," Arabella would have loved to continue the idle chatting with Juliet but that's when she spotted Ben. Arabella sighed.  
"Might as well get this over with,"  
"Good luck," Juliet squeezed her hand comfortingly, Arabella smile at her in thanks.  
"Ben!" Arabella chased the leader down. Ben turned around to see who called him and his face shifted with an emotion that Arabella couldn't pinpoint.  
"Arabella," He nodded in greeting.  
"I have a message from my father," Again an emotion that Arabella couldn't identify flicker across Ben's face before he pulled on a mask of emotionlessness.  
"Come, we can talk at my house," Fantastic! Arabella wanted to just drop the names and go. Ben lead the way back to his home and Arabella followed reluctantly. As they were coming in a teenager brushed past them.  
"Hey, Alex," Arabella kept a close watch on the girl, knowing she was the baby Ben stole from the French women sixteen years ago.  
"Hi, Ari," Alex smiled at the older girl.  
"Where are you going?" Ben demanded and Alex's smile broke.  
"To see Karl," Was all she said before she stormed off across the barrack.  
Ben sighed and continued inside, Arabella had no choice but to follow. She stood awkwardly in the doorway as he went about something in the kitchen.  
"Can I ask you something, Arabella?" Ben asked as he come out of the kitchen, offering her a glass of something that she politely declined.  
"Uh...sure, I guess."  
"You don't like me very much, do you?"  
"No, I don't," Ben blinked, a little shocked she was so honest. Arabella just shrugged. "No point in denying the blatantly obvious."  
"I guess you're right, may I ask why?" Arabella laughed.  
"We don't have all day, Ben. I'm just here to deliver a message and go, not discuss your character flaws,"  
"Right, what is the message?"  
"In the main section of the plane, the fuselage or whatever Juliet called it, there are eight people. They're important to my father, he would like you to try and not kill them."  
"Their names?"  
"Jack Shepard, John Locke, Sun and Jin Kwon, James Ford, Kate Austen, Sayid Jarrah, and Hugo Reyes."  
"Why these people? Why are they special?"  
"That's for my father to know," There wasn't a chance that Arabella was telling Ben anything about the candidates, it was not something he needed to know. "Well, I've delivered the message, I'm off," Arabella made a move for the door, she was dying to get back to her father and as far from Ben as possible.  
"You know he'll back in a few days," Arabella froze at the door and gritted her teeth.  
"I'm not one of your toys Ben, you can't yank on my strings to get me to do what you want. Trying to use Ricardo to get a rise at of me won't work."

* * *

Arabella was waiting at the docks for Richard when the sub surfaced a few days after the plane crash. He smiled at her, but looked exhausted.  
"Hey, Ricardo," She met him half way down the dock. "You missed all the fun!" Richard sighed.  
"What did you do now? I can't trust you to stay out of trouble for a few days, can I?"  
"Me?" Arabella asked innocently. "I'm hurt that you would think such a thing!" Richard gave her a look that was ruined by his smile- he missed his friend.  
"I know how bored you get,"  
"Idle hands and all that, yeah? Well anyway it wasn't anything I did. A plane crashed!"  
"Crashed here? Huh, well should be interesting to see."  
"Mmm, I like this batch, I think they're going to be different for the others,"  
"Ben taken any of them yet?"  
"A few from the tail section, they tried to take this one guy. A big African man, who- after the tail section land in to water -went back in and pulled all the bodies out. When they tried to take him, he beat both the guys with a rock or something, needless to say he's off their list now."  
"There's more then one part of the plane?"  
"Yep, the fuselage landed on the other side of the island, about 45 or so survived and are living on the beach. There's only a hand full left from the tail section after Ben started having them taken,"  
"But he's taken none of the other survives?"  
"Nope, Ethan's taking forever with the list." Arabella talked the whole back to the barracks, filling Richard in on everything he missed the past few days. Even Ben trying to bait her by bringing up Richard.  
"I swear, the slimy toad isn't happy unless he's got everyone under his thumb! It's ridiculous! He has serious control issues." Arabella ranted as she was draped across Richard's couch. He sat in the chair across from her, a fond smile fix on his lips.  
"You don't have to live in the same place as him, Ari, count yourself lucky."  
"Oh, I do, every day. There's this look he gives me every time I come to see you. Like he wants to crack my head open and see all the the secrets I have. He can't stand not knowing everything!"  
"He's just upset that Jacob talks to you and not him. He tells these people that Jacob speaks to him in dreams and all this ridiculousness." Arabella sat up suddenly and stared at Richard.  
"No. He doesn't!" Richard nodded. "That's-that's like blasphemy! Lying and using my father's name."  
"He's not really a god, you know that right?"  
"I said like! And it's still offensive!" Richard chuckled.  
"Alright, tell me more about this plane crash,"


	22. Rescuing Claire

**Author's Note: So school is kicking my butt but whatever the story goes on. Sorry for any bad grammar. Also review are very much encouraged. I'd love to know what you guys think of this so far.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Lost**

* * *

It had been a nearly a month since the plane crashed and they were still all that was being talked about at the barracks.  
Arabella was trying to hunt down Richard, he wasn't in his house. She spotted Alex walking up ahead of her and ran to caught up with the younger girl.  
"Hey, Alex! You wouldn't happen to know where Ricardo is would you?"  
"Hey, Ari. No, I haven't seen Richard, he might be with Ben," Alex did not looked pleased at the mention of her father.  
"Oh, no. You used the first name, what'd he do now?"  
"Not him really, Ethan. He was those survives on the other side of the island, you know? Well one of them is like eight months pregnant and he kidnapped her! And she was with this guy and Ethan just hung him from a tree and left him die. Now I think they're going to hurt the girl to get her baby."  
"Oh, wow. That-that's just not right," Arabella was constantly surprised by how horrible these people could be. Why did her father still care about them? They were obviously proving Esau right.  
"I know! Can...can I tell you something if you promise not to tell anyone?" Alex asked hesitantly.  
"You know I would never tell anyone, sweetie,"  
"I want to help her, I'm going to get her out,"  
"Alex, you could get in a lot of trouble,"  
"My dad wouldn't let them touch me,"  
"I want to help," Arabella decided.  
"Really?" Alex smiled.  
"Yeah, they can't touch me either, and this is just wrong. Besides I would feel better knowing I at least have your back, better then you going alone." Alex made a face.  
"I can take care of myself," Arabella smiled, remembering all the times her father and Richard tried to baby her and that was her exact same response.  
"Oh, I know, but I worry. It'll make me feel better,"  
"Okay, fine! Tonight, tonight we'll break her out,"  
"Alright then, tonight,"  
"What are you two planning?" Alex jumped when Richard came walking up behind her, Arabella smiled.  
"Oh, you know, just total world domination," Arabella quipped.  
"So the usual?" Richard smiled.  
"Yep, just me and my partner in crime," Arabella wrapped her arm around Alex shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. "Why don't you go and plot, I need to talk with Ricardo."  
"Right, see you later, Ari. Richard."  
"See ya, Alex," The teenager disappeared in one of the houses, probably her boyfriend Karl's.  
"You know you really shouldn't get so attached," Richard point out.  
"Yeah, I know, but it's hard, she's such a good kid. Makes you wonder how Ben is her father."  
"If there is one thing Ben cares about it's Alex,"  
"Mm, but that's not what I want to talk to you about. Alex told me Ethan kidnaped a survivor. A pregnant girl. And stung another one up in a tree. It that true?"  
Richard nodded. "You know that's crossing a huge line, right?"  
"I've been talking with Ben all morning, he's not listening."  
"Like anything else is new,"  
"Ari, promise me you won't do anything stupid,"  
"Nothing I do is stupid," Arabella responded, plans of how to break the girl out already running through her head.

* * *

"I don't understand why you still care for those people. They have obviously gone down the wrong path," Arabella told her father. She told him everything she heard from the barracks, about the pregnant girl and the man they hung.  
"People change, they just made the wrong choices. Give them another chance to make the right one."  
"I think you've given them plenty of chances and they keep making the wrong choice. Besides I don't think Ben can change, it's not in his nature."  
"You've got to see the good in people, Ari."  
"I see the good in people. People like Alex and Ricardo, Ben I see nothing," Jacob sighed, it was a lost cause.  
"That's because you aren't look hard enough." Why did all her conversations end with her talking about Ben recently?  
"I'm going, Dad, to help Alex," Arabella sighed and made for the door.  
"Ari!" Her father stopped her with a hand on her arm.  
"Yeah?"  
"Be careful," She smiled and gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"Always, Daddy, be back soon,"

* * *

It didn't take much for Arabella to track Alex into the jungle, as soon as they met up they were off.  
"I can't believe we're really doing this," Alex said as they trekked though the jungle to the abandoned Dharma medical station.  
"Not backing out on me are you?" The older girl teased.  
"No way! We're partners in crime remember?" Arabella laughed.  
"That we are, kid. Now listen once we get the girl out of there I'm going to take her back to her people, you need to go back to the barrack,"  
"What? Why can't I come?"  
"Because we don't know these people, they could be dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt,"  
"Ari..."  
"Please Alex? I don't want to have to worry about you, sweetie,"  
"Alright, fine,"  
"Okay then, let's go,"

* * *

Arabella wasn't sure how Alex managed it but they got into the Staff station without anyone seeing them. The girl had skill, Arabella would give her that.  
They checked each room until they came across a young blonde and heavily pregnant girl sleeping in the room at the end of the hall.  
The girl was extremely confused when they wake her and took her from the Staff station. She started freaking out.  
"I want to go back!" She shouted. "Take me back!"  
"Hey, calm down," Arabella tried stay calm. The girl's shouting was going to bring unwanted attention. "What's your name?" Alex asked.  
"Claire," The blonde said hesitantly. "Now take me back,"  
"Listen to me, Claire, we're trying to help you,"  
"No, they are helping, they were going to take my baby!"  
"Claire you need to clam down, to much stress can hurt the baby," Arabella cut in, she turned to Alex. "Go,"  
"What? There's no way-" Alex tried to protest.  
"Alex, you promised me. Claire is making too much noise, I don't want you to get caught. I can take her the rest way,"  
"But Ari... You said they could be dangerous, what if...?"  
"I'll be fine, Alex."  
"But-"  
"Alright, tomorrow at noon, I'll drop by the barracks. To check on you."  
"If you don't show up?"  
"If I don't show up by sundown...tell Ricardo, only him. I don't want them getting hurt,"  
"I don't think-" Her response was cut off by shouts. They were searching for Claire. Claire was about two seconds away from shouting back.  
"Alex, go!" Arabella grabbed Claire by the arm and began pulling the blonde toward the beach where her people were.  
"Ari!"  
"Alex! Go home! If anyone says anything you deny it, wait till I get back."  
"Be safe, Ari,"  
"You too, now go!"

* * *

"Where are we going?! Where are you taking me?!" Claire shouted. Arabella sighed, trying extremely hard to keep calm.  
"Claire, I am with those people, we've changed our minds. We don't want your baby, they asked me to take you back to your people," Arabella lied easily, saying what she knew would stop Claire's shouting.  
"My people? If your with them then why are they chasing after us?"  
"Because Ethan didn't agree. He wants to take you away, to hurt you for your baby. He will be dealt with later,"  
"But-"  
"Now is not the time, we have to keep moving Claire!" Arabella began picking her way through the jungle again, surprisingly Claire was right behind her.

* * *

Running into the French women-who, Arabella was thoroughly surprised, was alive- was unexpected but Arabella made up another quick and flawless lie and they were able to slip past her. Though Claire did end up scratching up the women's arms when she tried to pull Claire away from Arabella.  
The pair were making good time though the jungle, but Claire was getting weak. They had been move so fast at such a long distances and being pregnant didn't help.  
"We're almost there Claire, just hold on a little while longer, okay?" Claire was leaning on Arabella, absolutely exhausted.  
They came crashing through the brush and were face to face with two man. One of whom Arabella recognized as John Locke.  
They all stared at each other for a few seconds, shocked. Arabella broke the silence by swearing.  
"Uh...hi, I believe this one belongs to you guys," She said awkwardly and the two men just stared. It was at that moment that Claire decided to collapse in Arabella's arms. The redhead swore again.  
"Fantastic,"


	23. Trust

Author's Note: Homework is evil. Hate school with a passion. But the story lives on.

Disclaimer: Don't own Lost

* * *

"We were so close Claire," Arabella sighed, shifting the unconscious blonde's weight. Arabella looked up at the men who were still just staring. "Are you going to help or just leave me to manhandle the extremely heavy pregnant girl back to your camp?"  
The comment seemed to spark something as Locke came forward and picked Claire up effortlessly bridal style.  
"Boone, grab her, we need answers," Locke said to the other, much younger man. Boone looked a little uncomfortable but he grabbed Arabella by the arm and trailed after Locke.  
"You know you don't have to pull, I can walk just fine on own," Arabella stated and tried to pry Boone's iron-like grip off her arm.  
"Right, I let go and you'll just run off," Boone scoffed.  
"Why would I do that? I want to talk to you people," Arabella lied quickly. She had had no intention of running into any of the survivors. She had planned on leading Claire to the beach and staying out of sight. Look how well that plan went.  
"Why would you want to do that?"  
"Same reason I brought Claire back, I want to help you guys,"  
"Why would-" Boone started but Locke interrupted.  
"Don't talk to her, Boone, she's probably lying," Boone shut his mouth and continued to pull Arabella along.

* * *

They bypassed the beach and moved farther into the jungle. Locke rushed ahead of Boone and Arabella, already shouting for someone to get Jack.  
Arabella head the small waterfall before she saw it. They came to a stop in a small clearing just outside the mouth of a cave. It looked like people had been sleeping here.  
People started rushing around, swarming on Locke and Claire, who was still out cold. Jack managed to push his was through to get a look at her. Arabella was just fine going unnoticed. They had Claire laid out and Jack was looking her over, everyone standing by watching.  
Claire woke with a scream and that got Arabella's attention.  
Jack and a young blonde man tried to calm her down.  
"Who are you?" She cried, "Who are you?!"  
"Well, that's unexpected," Arabella murmured.

* * *

Arabella was focused to sit quietly next to Locke. She was listening to Jake and the blonde British man, Charlie was his name, try and explain things to Claire. Arabella noticed Sun and Jin watching, talking about Claire and the baby.  
"She fine," Arabella spoke up, in flawless Korean. Everyone looked at her surprised. "Claire and the baby are fine, got her out before they could hurt her,"  
"What did you say to them?" Arabella looked back at Locke.  
"They were worried about Claire and the baby, I just told them that they were both fine,"  
"Why are you here?" Jack asked. It seemed the attention had now shifted on her.  
"Like I told- Boone was it?- I just want to help,"  
"Help? You kidnapped one of our own, hung another in a tree and nearly killed him, that's not much help,"  
"Nearly? The man they hung, he's okay?"  
"Yeah, your bloody friend Ethan would have killed me if Jack hadn't found me," Charlie shouted.  
"It was you? Ethan's not my friend and I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Everyone started, slightly shock at her sincerity. "You and Claire are why I'm here. I'm not with the people who took her, the natives. I haven't been with them in quite some time. I don't agree with their leader, he doesn't very much agree with me either," Arabella had had plenty of time to come up with a good cover story that just might keep her alive. Enough pointless like facts, a bit of the stretched truth mixed with just a touch of lie, makes the perfect story.  
"What do you mean you're here because of them?" Locke asked.  
"Because what happen to Charlie and what could have happened to Claire, can't happen again. I never really agreed with them but I have friends in that camp so I tolerated them. But that- hurting people- is crossing a line. I won't let them pass this time. I can help you survive,"  
"We've been just fine without you, thanks," It was Charlie that spoke.  
"Not against these people, you got hung from a tree, and you're as lucky as hell that was all."  
"Why would you want to do that? Help us just like that? You expect us to believe it's out of the goodness of your heart," Arabella looked up at Jack. These people had serious trust issues, understandably but still.  
"I really am, but the mainly 'cause my father asked me too. He wants me to try and keep the body count between you and the natives to a minimum."  
"And who's your father?" There wasn't a chance that any of them could begin to understand who Jacob was, how important and powerful he was.  
"Just a man who knows about you and them, he sent me because I'm sort of neutral and I know enough about them that I can help you."  
"Sort of neutral?" Locke spoke this time.  
"Well, I imagine if the natives' leader could he would probably have me killed, I annoy him that much. He's not a good man, I don't like him every much either. Though I have no loyalty to him, like I said I have friend there. And I have not attachment to any of you but I defiantly don't want to see you all dead. So that makes me kind of neutral."  
"So, just because your father told you too you're going to help us?"  
"Yep, when my daddy asks you to do something you do it," Arabella quipped with a smile. They all stared at her.  
"What happened to her?" Jack geustered to diretion where Claire and Charlie had disappeared a little while ago.  
"I don't know, the memory thing is just a surprise to me as it was to you. They could have been drugging her to keep her calm and that messed with her memory. She could have surpressed it herself, too much to handle. Or they could have taken to her to Room 23."  
"Room 23?" Arabella sighed.  
"Before you there were these scientists, back when I was with the natives, the two sides did not get along. The scientists had this room, they took our people. Interrogated them, asking about how we got here, how we survive, about Jacob even- don't know how they even found out about him. When they were done the scientists would take them to Room 23, wipe their minds so they don't remember and toss them back into the jungle. It was sick."  
"What happen to the scientists?" Jack asked at the same time Locke asked, "Who's Jacob?"  
"The scientists are gone, Jacob... He's kinda like our god, don't worry about him."  
"We're going to get more questions than answers out of you aren't we?"  
"Count on it, so maybe you should quite while you're ahead. I'm here to help not give away secrets," Of course Jack don't appreciate that answer.

* * *

Arabella had the pleasure of being watched all night long, mostly by Locke, which left her unable to sleep.  
In the morning she was dragged to the beach and forced to sit and listen as Jack, Locke, Charlie and Sayid talked about Claire's return and what to do with Arabella herself.  
Charlie walked away in a huff, going to spend time with Claire, he said.  
"What about her?" Arabella looked up at Sayid and smiled nicely.  
"I have a name, it's Ari,"  
"Well, my name is Sayid Jarrah,"  
"Nice to meet you Sayid, you know you are the first person to actually introduce yourself to me? I mean really, you crash land on an island and suddenly everyone forgets their manners!"  
"Do you take anything seriously?" Arabella smiled innocently at Jack.  
"Of course I do, this is me being serious," Arabella found it funny how easy it was to get under Jack's skin.  
"What are we even going to do with her?" It was a frustrated sigh.  
"Well we could just keep her, she could give us some information on Ethan,"  
"Still here you know? I'm not a stray dog, by the way, you can't keep me. Didn't you tell Sayid here, Jack? I'm already willing to help, you just don't trust me."  
"Of course I don't trusted you! Why would I trust you when you are probably with Ethan?!"  
"Already told you haven't been with any of the natives in a long time."  
"You're what? 26 at the oldest? That couldn't have been that long ago,"  
"Thank you but I'm much older than that, just use fantastic skin cream," Arabella had to bite back laughter when it looked like Jack's head was going to explode he was so frustrated.  
"Out of all of them, why this one?" He muttered under his breath.  
"How old are you then?" Arabella looked up at Locke and smiled, she was beginning to like him. He asked all the right questions, not that she could answer any of them.  
"Older then you'd think,"  
"How would you help us?" Sayid asked.  
"I know these people, how they think and I could help you stay ahead of them, if you guys would just listen to me," Sayid looked like he was about to say something but they were interrupted by Charlie.  
"Ethan! Ethan is back!"


	24. Ethan

Author Note: So I'm back. Sorry I disappeared on you guys. It's been a busy few weeks. But I will try to get back to post at least a chapter a week, if I can get over this terrible writers block that is. So a little while ago one reviewer left a comment that my writing needs work. First I would like to thank you for your honest. Second I know my writing is not the greatest and I need practice, that is the whole point of this. So anyway here is another chapter, not sure how I feel about it yet. I would love to hear what you think.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Lost.

* * *

Arabella shot up, Ethan was back? He'd want Claire back. "What did he say? Exactly?" Arabella asked, Charlie looked around her at the men behind her. "Just tell me!" She did not have time to deal with these men being stupid.  
Charlie retold what happen to him and Jin in the woods and what Ethan said.  
"Is Jin okay?" Was the first thing that Arabella thought of.  
"Yeah... He's okay, he's with Sun now. Can we get back to homicidal madman running around the jungle who wants to kidnaped Claire again?"  
"You need to listen to me, okay? Ethan is insane, he won't hesitate on his threat. Let me go, let me talk to him."  
"What could you say to him that would stopping?" Sayid asked.  
"My father, he has a certain pull with these people, just trust me. I can stop Ethan if you just let me talk to him."  
"Trust you? You're kidding right?" Arabella shot Jack a look.  
"You asked me to be serious? I'm deadly serious,"  
"How would you find him if we can't?" Locke asked and it made Arabella love him just a little more, a little spark of trust.  
"I've lived on this island since I was five, so there are very few place it don't know. I could find anyone on this island," Not a total lie.  
"You can't seriously trust her!" Jack again, now he was getting under Arabella's skin.  
"Will you shut up? I know you have trust issues along with daddy issues and all that emotional crap that will take years of therapy to deal with but we're talking about people's lives here, so if you would kindly. The adults are talking," Jack looked completely awestruck and it made Arabella smile.  
"Now, John, will you please let me go? I can help," Arabella knew if any of them would listen it was Locke. He looked around at the group of man.  
"What do you think?"  
"If she can help Claire," Charlie said looking desperate. He would do anything for that girl, he loved her and Arabella could sympathize with him.  
"I'm not so sure, how could you convince a man like Ethan to stop just by talking to him?" Arabella's face fell, she thought Sayid would give her a chance but she really couldn't blame him for being skeptical.  
The group looked at Jack like his choice wasn't obvious.  
"Please, Jack, give me a reason to slap you, I'm absolutely dying too. It would bring me such joy," Arabella quipped, she was losing her patience.  
"I don't trust her," Jack said quietly.  
"Surprise, surprise," Arabella muttered sarcastically.  
"Ari..." It was the first time any of them called her by name but she couldn't enjoy it because she could see the concern on Locke's face. That little spark of trust? Just stamped out. Fantastic.  
"Not yet, we can't be sure just yet,"  
"Fine, it's your choice but when Ethan kills one of your own tonight? Their blood is on your hands, know that,"

* * *

Arabella was left with Locke once again. He, Sayid and Boone began making warning signals and fires. They were preparing for war against one man. Not bothering to listen to a word Arabella said.  
She had been watching as they tested out the newest little contraption when a hand clamped over her mouth and she was pulled into the underbrush before she could make a sound. She was dragged deeper into the jungle where the men couldn't hear her.  
Arabella tried to fight back but who ever had her was holding tight.  
"Easy there, don't want you to hurt yourself," A familiar voice whispered in her ears before she was released. She spun around and realized the man in front her was Richard. She smacked him on the arm.  
"You scared me half to death!" Arabella hissed but she couldn't keep the smile from her lips, she was so relieved to see him.  
"They have you guard all day and night! I've been trying to grab you since sundown yesterday."  
"Is Alex okay? Do they know what we did? That she was apart of it?"  
"Alex is fine, of course they know what you did, Claire went missing. They're still looking into who it could of been but it won't take them long,"  
"Blame me, blame it all on me,"  
"Ari, we need to get out of here,"  
"I can't, I can't leave them. Ethan is coming here, he wants to take Claire back, he threatened to kill people."  
"Ethan will be dealt with, I need to get you out of her first,"  
"Dealt with like they planned to deal with the French women?" Richard flinched and Arabella regretted bring that up. "Sorry, I know that wasn't your fault but I can do this, I just need to talk to him,"  
"Now look who's the one that just wants to talk," They shared matching smiles.  
"Let me do this Richard, these people need my help,"  
"If you stay here and Ethan tells the others he saw you with them, Ben will leap at the chance to name you a traitor. You won't be able to come back to the barracks."  
"I guess you'll just have to come see me now,"  
"Arabella,"  
"I can't leave them, not when I can save lives,"  
"I would expect no less from you," Arabella grabbed his arm before he could go.  
"Tell my dad? I think I might stay with them for a bit,"  
"Stay? Why would you stay with them?" Richard looked almost hurt and it broke Arabella's heart.  
"I think I'm suppose to be here. All those time travelers we came across that knew me? They're all here. I just...want to see what they're like." Richard gave a curt nod, his face blank. Arabella swore inwardly, he was closing off on her, now that wouldn't do.  
"I'll tell him," Richard looked about to leave again but Arabella stopped him.  
The whole reason they had each other was so they wouldn't be alone, he thought Arabella was leaving him.  
"Ricardo, please," Before she even thought about it she just hugged him. He hugged her back without hesitation. "I told you once I'll never leave you and I meant it, I'd rather die but I need to see this through,"  
"I understand," Richard whispered into Arabella's hair.  
"I going to miss seeing you everyday,"  
"Oh, I'll be around, don't you worry,"  
"What do you mean?" Arabella looked up at him but refused to let him go just yet.  
"You think I'd trust you with these people and not keep an eye on you? Not a chance." Arabella was honestly the most important thing in Richard's life, probably even more so then Jacob himself. There was no way he was trusting her to a bunch of strangers.  
"Ari!" Arabella's head shot up when she heard Locke calling for her.  
"You have to go! Now!" She push Richard away, toward the jungle.  
"Alright," Richard touched her cheek, the gesture surprised her, "Be safe, Ari," Before she could even think of anything to say he dropped a kiss to her forehead and was gone.  
Arabella was still staring at the spot where he disappeared when Locke found her.  
"What are you doing out here?" The smile slide easily into place.  
"What, a girl can't go to the bathroom without a search party being sent after her?" Arabella brushed past Locke back to Sayid and Boone.  
"You coming, John?" Arabella called over her shoulder.

* * *

Arabella was stuck in the caves with Charlie and Jack and the others. It was a long night, no one was willing to talk to her. Having Jack stare at her most of night like she was going to evaporate wasn't much fun either.

* * *

The news of the man's- Scott, someone said his name was-death set everyone on edge. Arabella had to go to the funeral. She felt bad for the man. After Hurley's little speech, people began to leave. Arabella knelt on the man's grave.  
"I'm sorry you had to die," She touched the freshly turned dirt. "Ethan will pay,"  
Boone, who was the one guarding her, stared in surprise at her words.  
"Are we just going to stand here or what?" Arabella fidgeted slightly uncomfortable.

* * *

They were planing to hunt Ethan down and uses Claire as bait.  
"I want to go with," Arabella stated. Of course they all looked at her like she lost her mind. "Scott died because you didn't let me go. Just let me talk to Ethan, I can do this, I know I can,"  
"No ones going out there unarmed," Arabella glared at Jack.  
"Nice try, that's a total bull excuse and you know it. Besides, I have this," Arabella pulled her dagger from her boot.  
"Why in the hell do you have that?!" Jack tried to steal the dagger from her hands but Arabella held it from his reach. She held it out to Locke who was slightly surprised but took it all the same.  
"Be careful with it my dad gave it to me. I have it, Jack, because no one bothered to check and see if I did." Jack shot a look at John.  
"Oh, leave him alone, he was busy with Claire and Boone never would have thought to check."  
"You could have killed anyone one of us and ran," Locke said quietly.  
"Exactly! I could have killed Boone at least ten times today," Arabella glanced at the young man in question. "But I didn't!" She tried to give him a reassuring smile.  
"You expect us to trust you after that?" Jack was getting annoying, Arabella could understand him being hesitant because he was the leader of the survivors and he hated losing people but he was so blinded that he couldn't see that Arabella truly wanted to help. The others were just following the leader, that is except Locke- he was beginning to trust her.  
"I expect you to trust me because I've had that dagger since I set foot into this camp and never touched it. I could have run way yesterday when Locke lost track of me but I came right back. I want to help, I want to be here,"  
"You lost track of her?" Jack glowered at Locke.  
"You have the most amazing selective hearing I have ever come across, Jack, I applaud you," Arabella applauded mocking, "I went to just the bathroom if you must know but even with those ten minutes I could have ran. The way I know the jungle I could have been miles away before John even noticed I was gone and left no trail. Despite all that, I'm still here,"  
"You can't go," Arabella was slightly surprised that it was that Sayid said it. "You are probably the only leverage we have, can't risk it,"  
"Leverage? Is that all I am now? What am I going to have to do to earn your trust?"  
"Nothing," It wasn't surprising that it was Jack who said it. "You stay, end of story," He stormed off after that leaving Arabella fuming. She hate being told what to do more then anything, especially if it was keeping her from doing what she wanted- and for no reason except that Jack has major issues.  
Sayid walked away without a word and Charlie went to look for Claire. That left Arabella with Locke.  
"Looks like you drew the short straw with guard duty, huh, John?"  
"Why?"  
"Why what?"  
"Why everything? Why did you bring Claire back? Why didn't you just run when you saw me and Boone? Why didn't you use the knife and just kill one of us and get away? Why do you care so much about us? Why do I remember you?" Arabella froze at the last question, he remembered her visiting him with her father. She hid her shock quickly with an easy smile.  
"That's why I like you John, you ask the good questions! I've already told you, I want to help. I don't like people being hurt or killed, I care about you guys because your interesting. It's been years since anyone interesting has come to the island. As for that last one, I can't answer it just yet,"  
"But that was you wasn't it, the redheaded girl who held my hand and told me I would walk again. I didn't just imagine the whole thing?"  
"No, you didn't, I was there. I just can't tell you why, you're not ready to know." Lock looked skeptical of her answer. "Do you trust me?"  
"What?" John blinked, shocked at the sudden question.  
"Do you trust me?" Arabella repeated.  
"Yes," It was barely a whisper but Arabella heard it and it made her smile.  
"That's all I want, all I need, just one person to trust me,"

* * *

It was Jack, Sayid, Locke, Sawyer, and Kate. The little band of hunter was on the move and Arabella was left in Boone's care.  
The pair were sitting on the beach, something Arabella did a lot but it felt different, she was on a different beach with different people.  
Boone shifted awkwardly beside her. The silence was a little strange but not totally uncomfortable.  
"Something on your mind, Boone?" Arabella didn't look away from the waves crashing before her.  
"Other then how you said you could easily kill me? Not much," Arabella laughed.  
"I would never hurt you, I like you. You're a nice guy, you try a little to hard to be useful- you should know that you aren't useless. Besides, John has my dagger,"  
"You don't know me," It was barley a whisper. Arabella smiled softly at him.  
"I'm a fantastic judge of charter." There was a beat of silence.  
"If you could, how do you know you can stop Ethan?"  
"I know these people, I know what makes them tick. What buttons to push, I can talk him down,"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Why are you so interested, Boone?"  
"Because," Boone pulled something into his lap. The silver of Arabella's dagger caught the dying sunlight. "I wanted to make sure before I let you go,"  
"Let me go?"  
"Locke trusts you, so I do too," Boone held the dagger out to Arabella. She took it and ran her finger over the elegant script engraved on the blade.  
"Leo mea speciosa," Arabella whispered.  
"What does it mean?" Arabella looked up at Boone.  
"It's Latin, my beautiful lion. It's what my name means, beautiful lion. My dad likes to call me his lion cub." Arabella smiled and Boone laughed. "Yeah, I know, cheesy, but that's my dad,"  
"I've heard worse,"  
"Thank you, for your trust,"  
"Yeah, just go and find Ethan before they do,"  
"I don't want you to get in trouble with the others for letting me go,"  
"I'll be fine, Ari,"  
"Won't risk it, sorry about this Boone," Arabella stood and brushed off her pants, Boone stood up with her.  
"What-?" Arabella hit him over the head with the heavy bottom of her dagger- just like her father showed her. Boone was out in a second.  
"I'm really sorry," She whispered and after making sure he was far enough up the beach so that the tide wouldn't get him Arabella was running though the jungle.

* * *

Arabella hid in the brushes watching silently. Waiting.  
There was the snap of a branch and Claire screamed, Arabella began to move.  
Ethan chased after Claire. He didn't get far before Jack tackled him and things got worse from there.  
The others came running when heard Jack fighting. Jack beaten Ethan pretty bad and they had him surrounded with their guns pointed right at him.  
"Wait!" Arabella called and stepped into the open. Ethan squinted at her through the pouring rain.  
"What are you doing here, Arabella?" Ethan asked from his spot in the mud.  
"My father sent me," She lost all her general joking nature, a deadly fire burned in her eyes. Just those four words caused Ethan's eyes to widen and him to sit a little straighter. The others just stared in silence, Arabella was pretty sure Jack was about explode, he looked so angry.  
"You...father?" Ethan sounded scared, as he should be. The natives treated Jacob like their god, to anger him was unimaginable- they just didn't know how laid back her father was about getting involved.  
"Yes, him, Ethan what are you thinking? Killing people? You know how Jacob feels about innocent bloodshed."  
"I was just- Ben- He said-"  
"This is what you get for listening to Ben, Ben lies. Who is more important to you, Ethan? Ben or Jacob?"  
"Jacob, always, does he- is he... mad at me?"  
"Of course not, you just made the wrong choices, you need to start making better ones though,"  
"I will, I promise,"  
"Will you leave Claire alone? Will you stop killing?"  
"Yes! I promise, Claire will stay, I won't-" Ethan was cut off by four bullets burying themselves in Ethan's chest. Arabella jumped and watched as Ethan's body hit the ground. She heard Jack shout 'Charlie!', it didn't take much to guess who shot Ethan.  
Arabella just stared at Ethan's body, he had backed down. He was going to leave. Now he was dead.  
Arabella was gone before anyone could stop her.  
Sure Ethan wasn't the greatest guy on the island but he was still a living person. Jacob had ingrained in Arabella's mind at a young age that all life was sacred. It was a tough lesson to forget.  
Arabella was running though the jungle, slipping and falling in the mud. The rain blurred her vision and made it hard for her to see but she kept moving.  
Arabella didn't know how long she was running, she didn't even realize someone was following her until a pair of arms wrapped around her, stopping her from moving.  
"Arabella, calm down," Arabella spun around and threw her arms around Richard's neck, burying her face in his chest."  
"Hey, it's okay, really, Ari. Calm down," Richard rubbed her back in soothing circles.  
"What are you doing here?" Arabella sniffed, trying to calm herself.  
"I was out trying to find Ethan, bring him in before he hurt anyone, and I heard the gunshots, saw you running. What did they do?"  
"They shot him, they shot Ethan. He was going to stop, I told him Jacob didn't like the innocent blood split and he was going to back down. Leave Claire alone,"  
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry you had to see that." Richard wiped away the blood that was still cling to her cheek. Arabella just buried her face deeper into his chest and reveled in how absolutely safe she felt in Richard's arms.  
Whenever Arabella felt like her world was falling apart she knew as long as she had Richard she would be safe, she knew he would be there to glue the pieces back together again.  
"Are you okay, Ari?" Richard took her face in his hands and searched her eyes like they held the answers to the universe. Arabella nodded mutely.  
The couple waited out the rain under the canopy of the trees, not saying anything, just enjoying each other's company.


End file.
